Legend of the Seven Stars
by Stanley the Bugman
Summary: This story is intended to be a not so direct sequel to the game Super Mario RPG. I will incorporate many characters from the Mario games into the story, and I intend for it to be many chapters. I feel like I have a lot of story to tell, so I hope everyone enjoys it! Note: Chapter 8 includes multiple character perspectives. I tried to separate them, but am having difficulties.
1. Prologue: The Star Road

It was a calm, clear night sky that stretched above the Mushroom Kingdom. During the day it was almost always sunny and bright this time of season, but the nights tended to cool down to a temperature slightly below average, enough to bring relief for the sometimes overbearingly hot temperatures in the afternoon. The sky was a beautiful black canvas dripped with a plethora of shimmering dots of silver light. High above the Mushroom Kingdom, in fact higher than the earth's atmosphere, and still even farther in to the vast galaxy beyond, shone a bright star. The star was brighter than any other star in the sky.

Many of the people in the Mushroom Kingdom worshipped this star. Some people used it as a guide to return home after a long journey, some prayed to it, others even rumored that it was the center of the universe, and that it was the source of all life. Whatever it was, everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom looked upon it with great admiration, hope, and above all, everyone made his or her wishes to the star every night.

The star itself was dotted in the exact center of a circle of six other stars. In actuality, the stars themselves were all connected to the center star by solid masses of bridges, not visible to the naked eye to the people of the Mushroom Kingdom. These bridges were less than paper thin in thickness, but stretched for hundreds of thousands of miles between the stars, and each of the six stars on the outside of the cluster had a bridge linking it to the center star. They were somewhat opaque in appearance, with a rainbow of colors shifting randomly every few seconds.

The stars themselves resembled more of planets on the surface. Sure, they were bright, and were shaped like a normal star to someone observing from a distance, but on the surface were vast valleys, tall mountains, and cities seemingly built out of the earth. Everything shone brightly and in many areas was also opaque in color, and had that same shifting of rainbow colors decorating the planet. Collectively, they were referred to as "The Star Road".

It was a remarkable sight, and the stars themselves were actually more than just any ordinary stars in the sky. These stars were the homes of the star people, who both worked and lived along the Star Road. They did not look like people, but were in fact star shaped themselves, and very small. They floated about their paradise peacefully, living their lives with their families in small hut-like homes. They lived blissfully, not having to worry about anything besides their families, happiness, and their priceless work.

The star people's jobs were not just common work, but the most important work in the universe. The star people granted wishes, and spent most of their time answering the prayers of the people not only in the Mushroom Kingdom, but in the entire universe. This was not an easy task, but a delightful one, and no matter how hard of a job the star people had granting a wish, nothing made them happier than to see the faces of all of the creatures of the universe light up when their wishes were granted.

The star people did not always have the power to grant every wish, and would outright refuse to grant any wish that was selfish, evil, or was made in hate or anger. They were a peaceful people who wished for nothing themselves but only to spread joy, happiness and peace throughout the universe. Most wishes granted were not material wishes, (Although on occasion it did happen.) but rather wishes of good will that came from the purest hearts.

The center star was the biggest and brightest of all of the stars on the Star Road. It was also the home of the biggest city in the Star Road, known as the Star Kingdom. The Star Kingdom was the most important of all of the cities along the Star Road. The Star Kingdom housed the Star Temple, where the seven Star Spirits resided. These Star Spirits were the rulers of the Star Road, and protectors of the star people. They themselves granted wishes, but only the most important wishes in the universe. They had resided there for millennia, and ruled the Star Road honestly with great honor and dignity.

The Star Temple was a great structure built more like a castle than an actual temple. The temple's tall spires seemed to touch the sky, and the temple had both vast corridors and beautiful tapestries on the walls and ceilings. There were statues of the Star Spirits, and plaques hanging from the walls dedicated to the star people who had originally constructed the great structure.

The main chamber of the great temple housed the Star People's most priceless possession, the Star Rod. The Star Rod was the single most powerful object in the universe. Any being who wielded the Star Rod was able to grant any wish that they made, and they themselves became more powerful. It was a small object, only about two feet long. The shaft of the rod was a pink and yellow spiral color with a small star at its tip. Although rather humble in appearance, its bearer would single handedly become the most powerful being in the universe. The Star Rod was not used often, and when it was used, it was only wielded by one of the seven Star Spirits.

Traveling along one of the main streets of the Star Kingdom, a young star was floating along happily towards the Star Temple. He looked the same as any of the other star people, only perhaps a bit smaller. He was naturally star-shaped and tiny, maybe a foot or so tall, and maybe a few inches less wide. He was a bright little star, and omitted a beautiful light from his body, which would completely illuminate even the darkest room. His only other features that were noticeable were a small mouth, and his small, blue eyes.

The little star was traveling toward the Star Temple with his friend, a fellow star being. His friend looked exactly like him in every way, only his eyes were darker, and his face a bit more pronounced. They had been great friends for many years, and spent a lot of time working together to help grant wishes.

"Hey Twink…" The little blue-eyed star said to his friend.

"Yes?" His friend replied.

"What do you think the Star Spirits called me to the temple for?" The little star asked.

Twink, the dark eyed star, turned to his friend.

"Hmm.. Hard to tell really…" Twink replied. "It could be anything. I've heard a lot of whispers around here that they are at the very least very pleased with you."

"Well, yeah. I've of course heard that too, but I just did my duty." The little star said.

"Yes, it was your duty, but you saved us all! You were very brave!" Twink exclaimed.

"Of course, but who held it together up here while I was gone, huh?" The little star asked. "You and the Star Spirits kept everyone safe and calm during the turmoil."

"Well, thank you." Twink replied. "We did the best we could, but if it weren't for you, none of us would even _be_ here right now, and no wishes would ever have been granted again!"

The little star paused for a moment and thought back on the journey he had taken. It had been over ten years ago now, and although to a human being that would have been quite a long time, it felt like only a few months to the little star. He was only four hundred and fifty six years old, which would maybe equate to about sixteen or seventeen in human years, but the Star Spirits were hundreds of thousands of years old. That was very old for even the star people, and he had often wondered what kind of wondrous things the Star Spirits had witnessed in all of those years.

His journey had taken him to a planet called earth, and to a wonderful land known as the Mushroom Kingdom. He met great friends there, lifelong friends really, who helped him on his quest to repair the Star Road. He traveled to many lands, met many people along his journey, and fought many enemies. When all was said and done however, it had been time for him to return to his damaged home, and help rebuild what was almost permanently lost to the universe.

_It seems like just yesterday… _he thought. _Those were desperate times, but the journey was something I will always cherish._

He nodded to Twink, and the two continued on their way to the Star Temple. The little star looked around the city, and watched the other star people go about their daily business. He saw a pair of stars floating by holding hands-obviously a couple-and gazing at the night sky. He saw a few stars doing some work on one of the larger structures in town, fixing a collapsed roof. It was not an extremely crowded city this late in the evening, but there were still quite a lot of people about.

"The Star Kingdom is looking better than ever nowadays." The little star said. "It's hard to believe the entire Star Road was in complete disrepair only ten years ago."

"Well, you were there." Twink replied. "Once the seven star pieces were recovered, the Star Road basically fixed itself, aside from our homes and the other structures."

"Yeah, true." The little star said. "It's just hard to believe it sometimes when you think back to what it looked like after the attack."

"Yes, it's honestly something I'd rather forget though." Twink said frowning.

"As bad as it was, we should never forget." The little star said. "It should always be in the back of our minds that we are not exempt from destruction. We persevered sure, but we can't allow ourselves to think we're invincible."

"Point well made, good buddy." Twink said. "We're here."

The little star stopped. He gazed in awe at the massive building before him. The Star Temple was an enormous structure, while at the same time elegant and beautiful to behold. It was easily three hundred feet tall, with huge columns at the entrance spiraled in an array of colors. Two enormous spires on each end of the roof, and one even larger in the middle seemed to shoot up to the heavens. The building stretched both ways a few thousand feet, and was made of thick stone. The stones were slightly opaque, and the light from the earth seemed to dance in a reflection off the walls. The little star could see Twink and his reflections a hundred times over in the walls. Before them stretched a long staircase to the entrance, which had to be at least a few hundred yards long. It led up to the great gates, huge steel rainbow colored doors, with a large, bright star embossed on each door.

The little star had seen the Star Temple hundreds of times, but its majesty never ceased to amaze him.

"C'mon Twink, we're going to be late." The little star said. Twink nodded and followed him up the grand staircase.

The pair made their way up the staircase, and the little star grinned in amusement at the thought of the stairs. Sure, they were quite a complement to the actual structure, but he had to laugh at the idea of them even existing. None of the star people actually had feet, and they all just floated along their great world. The stairs did not serve any real purpose.

As the two stars approached the great gates, they were stopped by two guards. Both looked the same as the little star and Twink, but one was missing a piece from his left hand, and the other had very large, deep green eyes.

"Halt!" The star with the missing piece shouted.

The pair stopped in their tracks.

"Please state your business." The green-eyed star said.

"We were summoned." Twink replied. "We're actually running a bit late, the Star Spirits await us."

Both guards looked them over.

"Yes, you look fine, the Star Spirits await you inside." The green-eyed star said.

"I come here every week Spark, do you always need to stop us at the gate?" The little star asked.

"Sorry." Spark said apologetically. "But you know its protocol."

Twink chuckled. "Still as stiff as ever about your rules! And how are you doing Flash?"

The star with the missing left piece turned to Twink.

"Just fine, Master Twink, this ol' arm of mine is a bit worse for wares, but I can't complain too much." Flash said.

"Mind if we get going fellas? We're late enough as it is." The little star said with a frown.

"Certainly, you may enter!" Spark replied.

Flash and Spark nodded to each other, and floated up to two star shaped holes in the doors. They both jumped into them, fitting like to missing pieces to a puzzle, and the doors slowly began to open. Flash and Spark were not just the gatekeepers, but the actual keys themselves. Their bodies fit perfectly into the mold of the star "keyholes" and they spun slowly as the doors opened. Once the doors were completely opened, Twink and the little star entered.

"Thanks guys!" Twink shouted back to them as the doors began to close.

"Let's get going." The little star said. He waved Twink onward.

As the two stars walked down the long corridor leading to the main chamber, the little star took in the beautiful artwork on the walls of the great hall. There were very large paintings of the seven Star Spirits, sculptures of some of the stars who built the great structure, and hanging above the entranceway of the main chamber, a large portrait of Eldstar-The leader and oldest of the even Star Spirits-holding the Star Rod.

The little star and Twink entered the main chamber. This was the biggest room in the Star Temple, and there the seven Star Spirits awaited them. Eldstar at the front, he was a lot bigger than both Twink and the little star, and had long white mustaches hanging from his lip. He had big, dark green eyes, and bushy white eyebrows hung aboe them. The lines around his eyes looked embedded into his skin. The Star Spirits hovered in a circle around the Star Rod, which was encased in thick glass on a pedestal. The pedestal was ingrained with shooting stars, and had that same opaque coloring that glowed a rainbow of colors.

"You boys are right on time." Eldstar said.

"It's an honor to be here, wise one." The little star said.

"Hmm… yes. Well, no need for formalities here boys, you both have been here enough, and all of us here know that without you two boys, we very well may not be here right now.

The other Star Spirits nodded in agreement.

"Yes, wise one, we just acknowledge it wouldn't be proper. You are the great Star Spirits, granter of wishes, protector of the Star Ro…"

Eldstar cut Twink off.

"Yes, Yes, Hmmm…. We know we know, it didn't stop us from being brought to our knees by that tyrant king… what was his name again?"

"Bowser." Twink said frowning.

"Yes, yes…. Bowser…" Eldstar mumbled. "Any who, that whole ordeal, as well as that incident ten years ago with the Star Pieces, well it's certainly humbled this council, I can tell you that."

The little star and Twink looked at each other.

"Any who… There's something I need to desperately speak with you boys about. We've discussed it at length, this council has now agreed unanimously, that both of you boys will be raised to the level of Star Spirits."

The little star felt a shockwave go through him. Him? A _Star Spirit?! _By the expression on Twink's face, he looked equally shocked, if not more.

"I am… honored, wise one. But, surely I am not worthy, I'm far too young to take this…"

The little star was cut off quickly by Eldstar

"There is no rule about there being an age requirement for this. You boys have both done more for this council… no, not even council, not even for the Star Road itself, but for the _universe_, then we have for all of our thousands of years. You have saved both the lives of our people, and the dreams of the entire universe. You have earned this, both of you."

"B… but what about you?" Twink said, obviously still shocked by this whole ordeal.

"I for one, am getting too old. I'm afraid there's not much left of this old star to give. I, and Skolar will also be leaving." Eldstar said.

Skolar nodded. Skolar was the same size as Eldstar, but was of a deep purple coloring. Bushy brown mustaches hung above his dark glasses. He also had a thin brown mustache.

"We need some youth to the council too. Some fresh minds will do wonders for us." Skolar said.

"I…. I'm speechless…. Thank you, I will take my position very seriously, and I hereby pledge to defe…"

Eldstar cut the little star off again.

"Ah, no long speeches son. I'm getting a bit too old for that stuff. Let me just make this official."

Eldstar lifted the glass cover off of the Star Rod, and pulled it free. He closed his eyes and pointed it towards the little star and Twink.

"I, Eldstar of the council of Star Spirits do hearby proclaim that on this day, Twink and…."

Eldstar was cut off by a loud crash from outside.

"What was that?!" Twink shouted.

"Sounded like an explosion…" The little star said.

Another loud crash was heard followed by a rumbling sound. Pretty soon, the entire temple started to shake, and paintings started to fall from the walls. The walls themselves rattled, and pieces of the ceiling started to come down. One very large piece landed merely inches from where the little star was. Chaos followed. Flash came flying into the chamber shouting.

"We're being attacked!" He shouted. "Quickly, find shelter!"

"We must GO!" Twink shouted.

The little star and Twink flew down the main corridor with the Star Spirits quickly behind. They made for the entrance, but before they could reach it, a very large, shadowy figure appeared at the door.

"MWA HAHAHAHA!" The figure laughed insanely.

The little star, Twink, and the Star Spirits stopped in their tracks.

"Do you know what today is?!" He shouted. "On this day, I SHALL HAVE MY REVENGE!"

The figure raised a huge hand towards the stars and started shooting rockets out of its hands, they hit columns in the temple, annihilating them in an instant. He shot at the walls, the tapestries, taking out entire sections of the temple as he entered the corridor.

"RUN!" The little star shouted.

The party ran towards the left, where a large chunk of ceiling fell down right in front of them. They tried to fly up through the hole ceiling to get away, but immediately another rocket shot towards them, barely missing, and destroyed another part of the roof, raining soot all over them.

"We HAVE to get outta here!" Twink shouted.  
More rockets shot out from the dark figure as the Star Temple was being completely destroyed. The madman was destroying everything in his path.

Eldstar took the Star Rod and thrust it into the little star's hand.

"What are you….?"

Eldstar cut the little star off.

"Take it, GO! We'll fend him off, you go and get help! Protect the Star Rod at all costs!"

The Star Spirits raced towards the dark figure, and started attacking it.

"C'mon! Let's get help! Let's GO!" Twink shouted.

The little star took a quick glance back at the Star Spirits, who were charging down the dark figure.

_Where do I know that voice? _He thought_. It sounds so… familiar._

The little star raced after Twink as another rocket just barely missed him by an inch. They flew through the temple trying to find some way… any way to get out. Finally Twink pointed to a very small hole in one of the walls, just big enough for the pair to get through. As he looked back, he could see another rocket heading towards his direction, no sign of the Star Spirits. He flew through the hole after Twink just as the rocket was about to hit. It slammed into the wall just as he made it to the other side. Fortunately, the wall did not give out, and he was only brushed with a few pebbles from the top of the wall. It hurt, but he'd be okay.

"By the Star Spirits…" He heard Twink say.

The little star turned away from the wall, and looked out at the great Star Kingdom. All was chaos.


	2. Chapter 1: To Wish Upon a Star

Mario yawned as he stretched his arms out over his head.

He gazed upon a clear, gorgeous night sky. Mario finished stretching, and walked over to the end of the balcony and leaned on the rail. He was quite tired, but he always enjoyed taking a few minutes to admire the majestic beauty that was The Mushroom Kingdom at night. The kingdom was vast, but from this vantage point on the balcony of Princess Peach's castle, he had a great view. The enormous star filled sky was breathtaking, and seemed to cover the entire kingdom like a giant blanket. It was the most gorgeous sight he had ever seen, and he was fortunate to be able to admire it almost every night.

He continued to marvel at the beautiful landscape. Great green, rolling hills spread out before him, and miles of lush land covered the entire kingdom in a layer of deep greenery. Luscious flowers of a variety of colors dotted the land, and he could see several large warp pipes protruding from the ground. He could spot huge trees all over the place, and saw a number of deep forests around the bases of the hills. He continued to look on towards the east, and saw a great valley at the foot of some very large mountains. The largest, Kongo Peek, towered over the valley. Deep in the valley laid a great jungle.

He looked southward towards the Great Ocean, and could just barely make out a tiny speck on the horizon. That was Yoshi's Island, and he figured that about now, the Yoshis would be doing their nightly dancing ritual. They would of course be singing songs as they danced around a bonfire, and eating their fill of fruits, fish, and other small creatures before going to sleep. Mario could almost hear the beautiful melodies in his ears and sighed, smiling.

Mario turned his gaze northward. Many miles to the north, far past his house, the land started to become a bit more barren. There were far less trees, and the farther north you traveled, the trees and the fine greenery dissipated. The land then started to become far rockier, small, pointed hills gradually formed into very large peaks, and finally a stretch of even larger mountains-most even taller than Kongo Peek-that seemed to rise up out of the ground, sharp pointed tops trying to prick holes in the sky. A few rivers of lava flowed around the base of the mountains, and Mario knew that hidden beyond those peeks was Bowser's Castle.

The castle was almost completely surrounded by those enormous mountains, like bait in the middle of a bear trap, and the valley was mostly filled with lava. One large stone bridge was the sole entrance to the castle, connected to the base of the southern mountain facing it.

Mario shivered at the thought of the huge structure. He knew it all too well.

Mario quickly shifted his gaze back to the night sky. He loved that sight, and thoughts of the castle quickly fled from his mind. He smiled as he looked upon the vast beauty before him, and felt total peace and serenity.

_It's so… humbling. _He thought. _What are we really but dust on the wings of a fly, a speck of sand in the Great Ocean, or a single speck of garlic on all of the pasta in the world?_

His stomach rumbled.

"Hahaha!" He heard a laugh from behind him.

Mario jumped and quickly spun around. He found Peach standing at the doorway to the balcony, giggling.

"You startled me." Mario said.

"He he, hungry again Mario?" Peach asked still giggling. "We just ate dinner an hour ago."  
Mario's stomach rumbled again. Peach continued to giggle.

"Well, I guess so. I was just admiring the stars, and for some reason, pasta came to mind."

"That's my Mario!" Peach said again, still laughing. "Always having pasta on the brain."

"Yeah, yeah… you look lovely my princess." Mario said smiling.

She did too. She wore a beautiful pink silk gown with white lace trimmings on the cuffs, and the moonlight seemed to radiate off it. The color of the gown offset the rosy color of her cheeks perfectly. Her gorgeous, wavy golden hair flowed down past her shoulders, and she wore just one piece of jewelry, a small pearl necklace that also seemed to radiate in the moonlight. He looked into her deep blue eyes-he could get lost in those-and smiled again.

Peach smiled back as she approached him. He quickly embraced her and they stood there for a few minutes, holding each other.

"You do realize I'm the luckiest man alive, right?" Mario said. "I wouldn't trade this moment for anything in the world. I love you, Peach."

She gazed up into his eyes.

"I love you too, Mario." she said softly.

They shared a long kiss, and Mario took her hand and led her to the railing of the balcony.

"Come and watch the stars with me, they're so beautiful." Mario said.

Mario leaned against the railing again, and put his arm around Peach. The couple gazed up at the stars for a few moments, and admired the majesty of it all.

Peach rested her head against Mario's shoulder.

"How many of them do you think there are?" She asked. "Millions, Billions?"

"Even more, I'd say." Mario replied. "I was just thinking before you came out about how humbling it is. We really are small in the grand scheme of things."

"Small, yes. But from what I have experienced, it's the small things that sometimes matter the most." Peach said.

Mario smiled.

"You always know just what to say, my love." Mario said affectionately.

"Well, I figured one of us should." Peach said giggling again.

Mario laughed with her. Peach could at times have quite a sarcastic sense of humor, but he loved it. He loved everything about her, and he knew deep down that she felt the same. They had been through so much together and it was like they shared the same thoughts. She seemed to know what he was thinking, and although she was certainly harder to read than he was, he often knew what she was going to say even before she said it.

Mario remembered the first time he had ever met Peach. It was over ten years ago, when he had first come to the Mushroom Kingdom. He and his brother, Luigi had been plumbers in Brooklyn, New York. The city had commissioned them to work down in the sewers on some of the waterlines that had burst. It had been a terrible crisis, and nearly half of Brooklyn was without water for several days. He and Luigi and been on the job for a week, when they discovered a very large pipe deep in the sewer.

This large pipe that they had discovered had a huge clog. They had thought that perhaps this was the cause of some of the water not flowing properly. This pipe was large enough that they could walk into it, so Luigi had gone into the pipe trying to get the clog. When he couldn't force it out with his tools, he had decided to try and throw himself against the weight of it. As he did, the clog broke free, and Luigi was sucked into the pipe. Mario instinctively ran into the pipe after his little brother, and was sucked in too.

When he came to, hours later, he and Luigi had found themselves in the Mushroom Kingdom. It was the most beautiful place he had ever seen, and he and Luigi had been awestruck, confused and a bit scared. They walked around the place for days, trying to find someone, anyone to tell them wear they were and how to get back home. That's when they had first laid eyes on Peach's castle.

It was one of the biggest structures Mario had ever seen. A great castle made of stone, with large spires seeming to reach up into the heavens. A great drawbridge hung above a deep moat, and he remembered marveling over the intricate designs on the walls of the castle. A large stained glass portrait of a woman imbedded high up on the middle spire, looked down upon them. It was of course, Princess Peach's portrait.

The great doors to the castle had been open, and as Mario and Luigi had entered, they walked into chaos. Small creatures, maybe about four feet tall at the most ran around frantically yelling, "Princess! Princess! What do we do!". Mario remembered being completely flabbergasted at what he witnessed. Small mushroom people were running all around the castle, panicked. They had large heads, mushroom shaped, spotted in all different colors.

Mario and Luigi had not been noticed when they entered, as the mushrooms were running around frantically. One mushroom had huddled himself in the corner of the room, crying. They approached him, and Mario tapped his shoulder.

"Excuse me, could you tell us where we are?" Mario had said.

The little mushroom looked over his shoulder and jumped, having clearly been startled. He looked very similar to all of the other mushroom people they had seen. He had a large, mushroom shaped head, white with red spots. He wore large brown shoes, and a small blue vest.

"WOAH!" The mushroom had shouted as he jumped. "Who are you guys? You look kind of like…"

"I'm Mario," Mario said. "And this is my brother, Luigi"

"Nice to meet you." Luigi said.

"Oh…. Well, I'm Toad." Toad said.

"Toad, could you tell us where we are? And… what… are you?" Mario asked.

"Uh… you don't know? This is the castle of Princess Peach Toadstool." Toad said.

"Where _are _we though?" Luigi asked. "This land, I mean. We fell through a pipe, and we ended up here. We don't know where we are. We're from Brooklyn."

"Brooklyn? Hmm… never heard of it. Well, this is the Mushroom Kingdom." Toad said.

"What are you, Toad? I mean, your species." Mario asked.

"I was about to ask you the same thing…" Toad said nervously. "We're all Toadstools, well, Toads for short. You look kind of like our Princess. Well, not exactly, but the same… species… I guess… yeah." Toad said.

Mario and Luigi looked at each other.

"Do you think your princess, this… Toadstool would know how to get to Brooklyn?" Luigi asked.

"I'm not too sure." Toad replied. "Possibly, but you won't find her here." Toad started to cry. "She's been kidnapped!"

"Kidnapped?" Mario said. "Who kidnapped her?"

Toad sniffled and wiped his eyes.

"This creep named Bowser. He's king of the Koopas. He charged in here with some of his underlings, and just took her! We don't know what to do! This is unprecedented. We need leadership, and…. I'm just worried about her safety!" Toad said, obviously shaken.

Mario remembered making that decision almost instantaneously.

"We'll go get her!" Mario said. "We'll save her from this King Bowser, and then maybe she can help us get home."

"You… you would do that for us?" Toad asked, a bit of a twinkle showing in his eyes.

"Yes, consider it done!" Mario exclaimed.

"W… Wait a second there, Mario." Luigi said "I don't think this is a very good idea. I mean… we're plumbers, not heroes! Besides, we don't even know this… Princess or these people. What about this Koopa guy? We don't know what we're getting ourselves into!"

"What's a plumber?" Toad asked.

"No worries, bro. What other choice do we have?" Mario said. "Toad here says that this Princess Toadstool is the same species as us. I assume that means she's human. My guess is, she's the woman painted on the window on the castle wall. Being she's the leader of this land, she must know how to get us back to Brooklyn. There wasn't a pipe anywhere near us when we woke up, so I don't see any other option. Besides, Toad here seems like a good fellow. Let's help him out."

Luigi sighed.

"Alright bro, it seems like we have no other choice. I'm with you… but, how do we know where to find this King Koopa?" Luigi asked.

"I'll take you to him." Toad said. "I have some items that will help us out along the way. I'll get them, and we can go."

Mario remembered that first journey to rescue Peach from Bowser. It was perilous, many of Bowser's minions trying to stop them dead in their tracks. They had fought their way tooth in nail through many of Bowser's many fortresses at the time. They had used many different power-ups to aid them in their quest, and discovered their own sort of secret weapon, jumping. The gravity in this land affected the brothers slightly different, and had given them the power to jump very high, causing real damage when they used it on a foe.

They rescued other Toads, kidnapped by Bowser, destroyed his fortresses, and finally eventually made it to his castle, where they had battled the Koopa King. After an intense battle, they had finally defeated him for the first time, and had rescued Peach. Mario remembered the first time he had looked into those beautiful blue eyes. The two spent a few moments just staring at one another, and he had realized, at that moment, that he would never be going back to Brooklyn ever again. Luigi had surprisingly taken very little convincing, as him and Toad became fast friends on their journey. Mario and his brother never looked back since.

"Look, Mario!" Peach said. "A shooting star!"

Mario could see a small star shooting across the sky. It seemed to burn with a hot intensity and shone brightly like the sun.

"Make a wish, my love." Mario said.

"Look, another one! They're… side by side." Peach exclaimed.

Mario watched the two little stars fly across the sky together.

"As are we…" He whispered.

Mario closed his eyes, and the two made a wish. When he opened them back up, he noticed a cluster of stars, slowly starting to fade out, one by one.

"Peach, look… those stars are fading out…" Mario whispered.

Peach looked toward where Mario was facing, her eyes opening wide.

"Mario! It's… the Star Road! The stars are fading out, one by one!"

_The Star… Road? _He thought. _How do I know….?_

"OH NO!" He shouted out loudly. "_The_ Star Road? The one that grants wishes?!"

They both looked at each other, wide eyed, and turned back to watch the seven stars of the Star Road fade out.

"This is not good…" Mario said, shaken.

Peach started to cry, and Mario took her in a warm embrace.

"It's going to be okay, Peach." He said, comforting her. "It's going to be okay."


	3. Chapter 2: Dance of the Yoshis

Chapter 2: Dance of the Yoshis

Yoshi danced around the fire with his friends, singing a traditional song of his clan. This particular song had been passed down for generations.

"_Laaaa La La La La!"_

"Laaaa La La La La!"

"Laaaaaa La La La La!"  
"La La La Laaaa!"

"La La La Laaaaaaa!"

The song had no actual words of course, like all of the songs of the Yoshi clan, it was the melody that was the important part of the song. Sure, one or two words would be incorporated into songs occasionally, usually the name of a fruit, or just simply the word "Yoshi" but Yoshis used their voices more like a musical instrument, rather than a vice to sing poetry through. Yoshi himself never really understood why humans, in particular would worry so much about the words when sweet melody was of the utmost importance.

Of course, Yoshi songs weren't just songs, they held a special power.

Yoshi continued to dance around the fire with his friends as the song ended. This next song would be of a bit slower tempo, so a new dance would be required. He paused for a moment before the song, and lashed out his long tongue up towards a banana tree. It wrapped around a bunch of bananas, and he quickly brought his tongue back fast. It happened very quickly, like the crack of a whip.

Mmmm… just the perfect ripeness.

Yoshi thought as he swallowed the bananas.

Yoshi looked over toward where the band was playing. There was a light blue colored Yoshi playing a pair of bongos crafted out of bamboo and reeds. He had a large nose, big, bright eyes that seemed to reflect the light of the moon, large, brown scales running from the top of his head, behind the eyes all the way down to his back. The scales ended at the red saddle on his back. This wasn't a man-made saddle, but something that grew on all Yoshis backs, naturally. He had a short tale, long arms, and wore yellow boots. His skin was almost completely that light blue color, aside from an area that ran from under his chin, down his belly to the end of his tail, which was pure white.

There were three other Yoshis in the band, one yellow colored played a flute type of instrument also crafted of bamboo. He looked exactly the same as the light blue colored Yoshi, aside from his yellow coloring and red shoes. All Yoshis looked almost identical when it came to their features, sure, there were slight differences. Yoshi himself could see that the yellow Yoshi had a bit smaller of a nose than the light blue Yoshi. The purple Yoshi playing the guitar there with the pink shoes had a small crack on his saddle, which made the left side droop lightly. Subtleties like these most humans or Toads could not catch, but they were as obvious to Yoshi as someone having an extra eye.

Yoshi himself was green, oddly one of only three Yoshis in the entire clan. He wore red boots, and his small oddity was well, not small actually. He was the only Yoshi of his entire clan who could speak the human and Toad language. Every Yoshi had a special talent, it wasn't just small differences in complexion, size, shape, or an oddity of appearance, they could all do things that others of their clan could not do. The red Yoshi in the blue boots standing over by the apple tree could whisper to trees, and they supposedly whispered back to him. The orange Yoshi with yellow boots gathering more logs for the fire could walk on water. Well, for a short time anyway. He certainly couldn't make it from here all the way across the Great Ocean to the Mushroom Kingdom.

The band started up a new song.

Yoshi started dancing to a slower beat.

Yoshi, like all Yoshis, didn't just hear the rhythm of the song, but he could _feel _the rhythm. He had tried to explain it to his friend Toad once, who was dancing along with the Yoshis one night, but he didn't seem to be able to grasp it. He supposed it was just a sort of extra sense that Yoshis had that perhaps other creatures did not. As the next song kicked in, Yoshi moved his arms up and down, and danced gracefully to the rhythm. He had done this dance many times, and it was like second nature to him. Like breathing.

Yoshi joined in with the other Yoshi's to sing the tune.

"_The Aaaaaaaaple!"_

"The Aaaaaaaaaaple!"

"The Aaaaaaaaaple!"

"The Aaaaaaaaaapleeeee!"

This song only had two words, but the melody was so soothing, it made Yoshi smile and relax. This was one of his favorite songs. He sang it every night, but he never grew tired of the melody.

Yoshi looked around the forest. The Yoshis' bonfire was in the exact middle of the island. Trees were all around, and right in front of the bonfire, the Super Happy Tree

stood proudly. It was the largest tree on the island, and bore the sweetest fruits. It's branches were thick, healthy with luscious green leaves and vines hanging down. This tree was worshipped by all of the Yoshis on Yoshi's Island. It was special for many reasons.

The Super Happy Tree could grow every kind of fruit imaginable. Apples, grapes, bananas, oranges, melons, all different kinds of berries, they were limitless on the Super Happy Tree. The tree could never run out of fruit, and the fruit would never spoil. Well, Yoshi didn't know that for sure, since he doubted-and had never seen-any fruit growing on the tree that lasted for more than a few minutes. The Yoshis had big appetites, and the Super Happy Tree would constantly remake new fruits every time one was picked off.

Aside from being a limitless supply of food for the Yoshis, the Super Happy Tree also released nutrients in the soil to purify water to it's most natural state, it fertilized other trees, and also provided great protection to the Yoshis during storms and other crises. The Yoshis had always lived together in harmony and peace under the Super Happy Tree, and for all of the wonders that the great tree provided, the Yoshi's would dance and sing for it every night.

"_The Aaaaaaaaple!"_

"The Aaaaaaaaaaple!"

"The Aaaaaaaaaple!"

"The Aaaaaaaaaapleeeee!"

Yoshi continued to sing and dance for the Super Happy Tree. He looked over at the great tree, and watched as his favorite part of the ritual commenced. Yoshi watched the center of the tree, as a very tiny heart shape started gradually growing larger and larger out of the bark.

"_The Aaaaaaaaple!"_

The heart grew larger, to the size of a grape

"_The Aaaaaaaaaaple!"_

The heart grew larger, to the size of an apple

"_The Aaaaaaaaaple!"_

The heart grew larger, to the size of a coconut

"_The Aaaaaaaaaapleeeee!"_

The heart grew larger, to the size of a watermelon.

Suddenly the heart grew to its full size, about five times larger than a watermelon. A smiling face and pleasant eyes looked down on the Yoshis, and the great, pink heart seemed to smile even wider as the melody kept on. The heart rocked back and forth to the beat of the rhythm.

Yoshi smiled a wide smile and laughed.

As the song ended, the Yoshis all cheered and yelled and clapped their hands; they all started to jump around, and embraced each other. The heart bellowed a great laugh, and suddenly spoke in a deep voice.

"NOW I GIVE YOU….. APPLES!" The Super Happy Tree boomed, followed by a thunderous laugh.

Suddenly, the branches of the great tree began to shake and hundreds of apples started falling to the ground. Yoshi grinned. He loved to make a game out of this part of the ritual.

"Hey, Red!" Yoshi shouted-In the Yoshi language-to a Red Yoshi to the right of him. "Make sure you keep count this time!"

"Hah! You won't beat me this time, Yoshi!" Red shouted back.

Suddenly, hundreds of tongues lashed out at the air for the apples. The Yoshi's tongues struck fast as lighting as the apples fell from the tree. The Super Happy Tree kept shaking it's great branches, and apples by the hundreds continued to fall. Yoshi kept count in his head of how many apples he caught and ate.

_34,35,36,37,38,39... _He thought.

Suddenly the Super Happy Tree stopped shaking.

"45, 46,47.…" Red shouted. "Forty-seven! I got forty-seven, Yoshi!"

"51." Yoshi said back.

"Oh, darn it! I _will_ beat you one of these days Yoshi!" Red said back with a determined look.

"Uh, Red…" Yoshi said. "There's something wrong."

"What? Did you miscount?" Red asked.

"No, no…" Yoshi said worriedly. "I mean, the Super Happy Tree. I usually catch well over one-hundred and fifty."

"Hmm… come to think of it…" Red said, thinking. "Yeah, I usually have a lot more too.

The Yoshis all looked around with a panicked look. Suddenly, Yoshi heard a sound.

"GWAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"That came from the Super Happy Tree!" a pink Yoshi shouted.

Yoshi watched as the Super Happy Tree bellowed its horrifying yell. Its branches swished around, but no fruit fell. The heart in the center of the tree seemed to be crying as it echoed it's terrifying scream.

"What's going on?!" Yoshi yelled.

"ST…. STA… STARRRRRRR!" The Super Happy Tree yelled.

The Super Happy Tree gave out one final scream, and the heart in the center dissipated. As the heart grew smaller and smaller, the tree started to wilt. The tree slowly bent forward, as its bark started to change from it's healthy brown bark, to a dark gray color which crept up the tree from the roots in a spider web formation. A multitude of leaves and fruit fell off the tree, as the gray color completely consumed the tree. Soon, all of the leaves fell off the tree, dead and the fruit fell. Yoshi lashed out his tongue at an orange as it fell. He quickly spit it out.

"YUCK! Rotten!" Yoshi shouted.

"Look! Up in the sky!" Red shouted.

Yoshi looked up at the night sky through the trees. He could see two shooting stars flying side by side, and above them, a cluster of stars, The Star Road. He and the other Yoshis watched as the seven stars of the Star Road slowly faded out, one by one.

_It's… dead. _Yoshi thought. _The Super Happy Tree, the Star Road…. Now what will we do?_

Yoshi looked around at his fellow Yoshis. They all looked at each other in silence, tears in their eyes, as they stood beneath the dead Super Happy Tree. They all formed a circle, held hands, and started to sing a song of mourning.

_I need to go find Mario. _Yoshi thought as he sang with all of his heart.


	4. Chapter 3: The Flower Princess

Princess Daisy sat upon her throne, deep in thought.

It was a beautiful morning in Sarasaland, Daisy's kingdom. She was dressed this morning in her normal garb, a beautiful bright, yellow, dress ornate with white trimmings in flower shapes along the cuffs of the sleeves, and on the bottom. Her long, hazelnut colored hair fell down to her shoulders, and her decorative, teal colored brooch was pinned to her chest. The brooch was an heirloom that had been passed down in her family for generations, and she wore matching earrings. They were flower shaped, and represented the sigil of her house. She adjusted the golden crown on her head, as it was starting to slip off her as she laid her chin on her fist.

She listened selectively to one of her subjects-a Toad with a yellow spotted head and orange vest addressing her about the events of the day. She did try her best to listen, but she had been deeply troubled since last night, and thoughts continued to race through her mind. She caught herself staring off at the far side of the wall of her royal chamber, and quickly shook her head, focusing her attention back on the Toad.

"….and the library is in a bit of trouble as well, your majesty." The Toad was saying. "An entire floor needs renovating, and a number of the book shelves will need to be replaced. Many people have been complaining of Koopas inhabiting some of the main roads, and are concerned…"

She drifted back to her thoughts.

_Why did those stars fade out? What does it mean? _She asked herself again. _This can't be a good sign. I have seen stars fade out before, but a cluster of seven stars all fading out simultaneously? _

Daisy again caught herself staring off, and tried to focus back on what the Toad was saying. She adjusted her crown again, and sighed.

_The weight of this crown can be so overbearing at times. _She thought.

Sometimes Daisy wished she were not a Princess. As a child, she was often found outside, playing with mostly boys her age. She was an only child, but several of the live-in butlers, councilmen, and others who resided in the castle with the royal family had children who would play with her. All of the girls would spend a lot of time talking about boys, how they wanted to get married, or would play games like dress up or have tea parties. Daisy hated that from the start. She loved being outside, chasing the boys around, playing sword fighting games with sticks, and playing sports games.

Daisy was always an outcast from the other young ladies. Daisy had loved her parents though, and they were always very supportive of her. She never felt as close to her mother as she did her father, as her mother was always pushing for her to be more lady like, and to "Act more like a Princess". Her father loved her tomboyish nature, and was very proud that Daisy had really grown tough, and had always told her she would make a good leader. Daisy never wanted to rule a kingdom, but when her father had passed away, she had promised him she would try to be the best ruler she could possibly be.

Daisy sighed thinking about her parents. She missed them every day, and wished they were still around for guidance. Her parents had passed away when she was sixteen, but not a day had gone by that she hadn't thought of them. She wished they were here now.

_You have to stay focused. _She thought to herself. _You are princess of this kingdom, and your people need you._

She couldn't help this overwhelming sense of dread she was feeling, however. Those stars fading out had to be some kind of sign, an omen.

"And furthermore, the road to the west…" The Toad was saying. She cut him off.

"Yes, yes. I will see to that as soon as I can. I'm sorry, I must dismiss you for now. Come see me tomorrow after lunch time, we will discuss the matter further." Daisy said sternly.

"Erm.. Uhh…. Yes, your majesty." The Toad said respectfully. He bowed and walked out of the chamber.

Daisy stood up from her throne and addressed the guard at the door. He was another Toad. He was tall, had brown spots on his head, and instead of a vest wore chain mail, and carried a long spear in his hand. He had a full, dark beard with patches of gray, and wore an eye patch over his missing left eye. He had a pretty gruff look to him, but at heart was a very gentle soul. Mash had been captain of the royal guard for many years, before Daisy was born.

"Mash, please tell the guards outside that I won't be accepting any appointments until further notice." She said. "And please follow me into the study when you're through."

Mash nodded.

"Yes, my princess." He replied.  
Daisy walked out of the back door of the throne room into the study. It was a much smaller room, and not nearly as wide open as the throne room. The room was still elaborate, however. The thick, stonewalls were painted in bright hues, and elegant, silk curtains in floral designs draped over the large windows. There were tapestries on the walls depicting scenes from battles from long ago, and there was a large painting hanging over an oak desk of her father dressed in the royal garb. He was very young in this picture, no more than twenty years old. Daisy sat down at the desk, grabbed a pen and paper and started to write a note. As she started to write, she heard a knock on the door.

"Please enter, Mash." She said.

The door opened, and Mash entered.

"How may I serve, my princess?" Mash said, bowing.

"How many times do I need to ask you to call me Daisy?" Daisy asked.

"Well, you've been the ruler of our kingdom for fourteen years, your highness." He said, grinning. "And in fourteen years, I've said the same thing to you every day. You're my princess, and that wouldn't be proper."

Daisy smiled. Mash was all formalities, but in truth he was the only person in the whole kingdom who would speak to her completely honestly, and with a sense of equality. Daisy liked that about him. She never meant to be a fierce ruler, on the contrary, she loved her people and her kingdom, and wanted to make everyone happy, but most people were just not comfortable speaking to a princess in an informal way. Daisy sometimes felt very alone, but Mash had always been there to pick her spirits up.

"Very well then, Captain." She said. "I need you to run a very important errand for me."

"It would be an honor, my lady." He said.

"I need you to take the warp pipe to The Mushroom Kingdom, and I need you to send for Mario, Princess Toadstool, and… Luigi." She said. She blushed as she said Luigi's name.

"Aye, I'll go as soon as I leave you." Mash said.

"Very good. Also, could you please deliver this note directly to Luigi?" She asked, passing him a sealed letter.

"A love letter, your majesty?" He asked, grinning again.

Daisy didn't have a mirror present, but she was sure her face was as red as Mario's hat at the moment.

"No, no… no.. nothing like that. Just… a very important message for him." She said.

Mash laughed and grabbed the letter. He tucked it inside his pocket.

"You know, if I may be so bold your majesty, I'll say it again, he'd make a great king. The man's brave, intelligent, and has the makings of a real leader." Mash said. "But, ha! Not my place I suppose. Still, you two would be great for each other."

Daisy sighed. She remembered the first time she had met Luigi. She was visiting her good friend, Princess Peach in the Mushroom Kingdom. Daisy had heard about her capture, and later learned that two brothers had risked their lives to save her. When Daisy met them, she was very taken aback at their simple, yet charming personalities. Mario and Luigi looked like two blue collar, simple brothers, but displayed a very strong amount of courage, honor, honesty, and humility.

She remembered finding Mario to be an extremely confident man, but almost just a bit too perfect for Daisy's standards. Peach was obviously smitten with him, but Daisy saw something else in Luigi. Luigi was quieter, and a little more reserved. He was confident, but there was more of a humble, laid-back vibe she got from him. He was brave, but not fearless as Mario always seemed to be. She found it remarkable that Luigi would very often be the one to express his fears and reservations about something, but would still do what needed to be done. He was a different kind of brave, more honest, Daisy thought.

_A solid man. Not full of himself, but not pessimistic either. _She thought.

Daisy had never looked at a man that way until she had met Luigi. They seemed to hit it off right away, and were fast friends. They had expressed strong feelings to one another, but unlike Mario and Peach, both she, and he too she imagined, had a bit more trouble trying to sort those feelings out, and were taking things a lot slower.

_Mash is right though, he'd make a good king, and would sure look handsome in a knight's uniform…_

Daisy felt her face turning a bright shade of crimson at that thought, and quickly stomped it out. Now was not the time to be mooning over a man. There were serious matters to attend to.

"Please, Mash. Deliver my message to Luigi at once, and send word to Mario and Peach." She said.

"Yes, my princess… By your…" Mash was cut off by the sound of an explosion.

"What was that?!" Daisy exclaimed.

Daisy jumped out of her chair and her and Mash headed towards the door. As she exited the study, she almost lost her balance as another explosion rattled the whole castle.

"Your majesty! Take refuge at the traveling grounds! I will investigate the source of these explosions!" Mash shouted.

"But…"

BOOM!

She was interrupted as a much more powerful explosion shook the entire castle.

"There's no time! Head over there! I will meet you. If you don't see me within ten minutes, make an escape!" Mash shouted to her.

Daisy quickly looked around the throne room, and saw that parts of the great ceiling were falling to the floor. Large pieces made of rock were falling, and the support beams way at the top were starting to give out. She jumped as she saw creatures breaking through the stained glass windows. There were turtle-like creatures, not Koopas, but larger figures clutching spears, with a more hideous look to them. There were also a few Shy Guys wearing cloaks of all different colors, and some spiked shelled creatures. Another explosion followed, this one causing her to completely lose balance and fall. Mash raced for her, and managed to catch her before her head hit the hard, stone floor.

"Are you okay, my princess?" He asked.

"Just fine, but what's going on?" Daisy asked.

Her royal guard suddenly burst through the main doors to the throne room, attempting to fend off more of those creatures that had burst through the windows. When they saw the other creatures, a few broke from the "V" formation the guard had set up, and started attacking them. The guards in the formation managed to fend off some of the creatures trying to bust in, and they were able to barricade the doors shut.

"Princess!" One of the guards, Kip shouted to her. "There are too many of them! You must escape before they take the castle completely!"

"No! I must defend my castle! And my people!" She shouted.

"Princess, we understand, but if you're taken, our kingdom is done for!" Mash shouted urgently. "If these creatures take over the castle and take you prisoner, all will truly be lost!"

Daisy hesitated for a moment, adjusting her crown again. It felt like the weight of it was threatening to crush her. She couldn't leave, but what Mash said made perfect sense. If she escaped, she could get help, and take her castle back.

"What of our army?" Daisy said. "Where are they?"

"Your highness… they've been…" Daisy could sense the fear in Kip's voice. "They've been wiped out. I just came from their barracks, it burns, and the only soldiers I saw were either fleeing or... Dead."

Daisy swallowed hard, and tried not to show the worry on her face. She could feel herself sweating, and started to tremble. She looked at the other royal guards, still trying to fend off the creatures with their spears and swords. A few had fallen, but the baddies seemed to be losing.

"There is no TIME!" Mash shouted.

He grabbed her hand and all but dragged her towards a secret passageway in the wall behind the throne, he pushed aside a stone brick, and the wall shifted slightly. He started to push her towards the entrance. As she was being pushed in, she heard another, even larger explosion, and she froze in place as she watched the steal doors explode into pieces, the momentum from the explosion sending her royal guard flying into all directions. Some simply disintegrated from the heat of the explosion. Part of the wall was blown out as well, and bits of rock flew in all directions, some crashing through the great, stained glass windows, and a cloud of dust filled the room. Mash kept pushing her further into the passageway, but she stopped him, and they both hid behind the wall. She stood there, frozen in place, watching the chaos unfold.

As the dust started to settle, she saw the baddies entering her throne room, and as they started to fill the room, she saw another figure. It was a tall creature, with purple skin. Its pointed ears sat at the top of its baldhead. It had sharp teeth, and wore a black leather uniform, with a matching black cape. She could see its red eyes glowing as it walked through the flames that the explosion had caused. Her royal guard laid all around its feet, and it kicked Kip's burnt corpse as it approached her throne. He paused, taking a look at the throne, smiling.

"MWA HAHA!" The creature laughed. "It's mine! It's finally mine after all of these years!"

Daisy felt a shockwave go through her body, as if she had been hit by lightning. She knew who this creature was, knew the sound of its voice.

"Tatanga…" She whispered, trembling.

"Princess…" Mash whispered, tugging her arm, as he led her down the passageway. "Let's get you out of here!"

Daisy ran down the dark passageway behind Mash. She looked back, and could hear the sound of Tatanga's dreadful laughter echoing through the tunnel.


	5. Chapter 4: The Cloud Prince

Prince Mallow Nimbus walked through the streets of Nimbus Land. It was very early in the morning, and the sky was still dark. It was a cool, quiet morning, and the streets were empty. Nimbus Land itself was not by any means a large kingdom, but very elegant. The kingdom literally resided in the clouds, and the only way someone on land could even venture to the kingdom was by a single beanstalk that lead high up into the heavens from Bean Valley below. The land itself-if you could call it that-was actually made of clouds conjoining together, like a giant white fluffy pillow resting in the sky.

Mallow had become ruler of the kingdom only a year before. His father had grown very ill, and his mother had spent most of her time by his father's side, taking care of him. It was up to Mallow now, the sole heir of the royal throne, to step up and rule the kingdom. He knew the time would eventually come, and felt that he was doing the best job he could do. Mallow was still fairly young when he had realized he was a prince, but it wasn't until after his adventure with Mario had ended that he could really say he was ready for that responsibility.

Mario had helped him discover who he actually was. Shortly after meeting Mario, his grandpa, Frogfucious, had told him the truth; that he was not his real grandson, and that he had discovered Mallow as a baby, and took him in to raise him among the tadpoles. Mallow had spent most of his life thinking he was a tadpole, until the truth came out, and he joined Mario on a quest to save the world, and find his true parents. He was very immature then, and would cry over some of the most trivial things. It was amusing to Mallow now, thinking back to that time, and how much he had grown since then, and changed.

He had been up for most of the night, awoken from a horrible nightmare. He had been unable to go back to sleep, so he had decided that a long walk and some fresh air would help lift his spirits. He passed by a few houses, the lights out. Everyone was asleep now, and probably dreaming peacefully. Mallow never usually had trouble sleeping, but this dream was so real, so… horrifying, that he could just not go back to sleep. He shivered, and continued walking down the street.

He had left his crown and his royal cape at home, on the off chance that someone would awaken and recognize him. Now he just wore his favorite pants, light blue and white striped with his belt, and his magenta shoes. He had grown taller than he was when he ventured with Mario, and his pink, curly hair had grown longer. He himself looked just like a cloud, white, puffy skin, and light blue eyes. His arms were long, and his hands and feet huge. He often felt very disproportioned when he was younger, but he had grown into his hands and feet a bit, now being a lot taller.

He continued walking down the street, still troubled by his nightmare. It had been horrible. The entire world had been plunged into a terrible war, and he saw many great lands falling. Many people died, and he saw many of his friends, including Mario, Princess Peach, and even Bowser fall. Nimbus Land itself was set aflame, he saw his lands, his people being slaughtered, and the castle burning. He saw his parents dead at the hands of a mad man, and had seen tadpole pond completely destroyed, the water poisoned, and his grandpa and fellow tadpoles dead.

He shivered, still seeing the horrible images fresh in his mind.

_It was only a dream. _He thought. _It's not real, just a nightmare. It must be all of the stress I've been through over the last year manifesting itself into my dreams. Just a subconscious thing._

He had been telling himself that for a few hours now, but the dream still troubled him. Never before had he had a vision so clear, and never a nightmare so brutal. He continued walking through the streets, and was admiring some of the beautiful scenery. Being that his kingdom resided so high above land, he always had a marvelous view of the world below. From here he could see all of the great lands spread about the world. He could see everywhere from Bowser's castle in the north, to Yoshi's Island, far in the south. He saw to the east the vast desert and beyond that, the kingdom of Sarasaland. He could see great mountain peeks, deep valleys, and in the center of it all, the Mushroom Kingdom. It was a fantastic vantage point.

Mallow was heading for a particular spot he enjoyed sight seeing from. It was a small hill of clouds right outside of town. On one side, a person could climb up and sit on the top, although the other side did end abruptly into open air, and a long fall to the ground below. It was a little dangerous, but had a gorgeous view of the world below and the stars above. He loved that spot, and would often go there to relax and reflect on his day.

Mallow could just make out the small hill, as he was walking through the outskirts of town. He had decided he would go there, admire the scenery, and make a wish to the stars that his dream would never come to pass, and ask for guidance from the stars to help him become a better ruler. He knew in his heart that if he wished and prayed, the stars would hear his words, and grant him the strength he needed.

Mallow had never really grown up worshipping the stars, or anything for that matter, but his adventure with Mario had changed that too. After he had helped his friends recover the seven pieces of the Star Road, and had fully come to understand what the Star Road's purpose was, he spent a lot of time praying to the stars, and making wishes. He knew that to be a good ruler, he had many important choices to make, and had to take full responsibility for any of his actions, but praying had given him more confidence, and had helped take a bit of the stress off. He wasn't so sure if his exact prayers were answered, but he knew that at the very least, the Star Road responded in subtle ways that helped him get through the day.

_Hard to believe that a little over ten years ago, I didn't even know what the Star Road was._ He thought.

Mallow also knew he literally had a friend watching over him too. Geno had been not only a great friend, but a figure like Mario that he had looked up to. Geno was always very cool, and collected. He could sometimes take himself a bit too seriously, but was very dedicated to his task, and had been a vital member of their group. Mallow had never seen anyone possess such a unique blend of intelligence, bravery, and honesty that Geno had. He had also never seen anyone that powerful in magic before. Sure, Mallow definitely had more skills than almost anyone in magic, but Geno's abilities were otherworldly.

Mallow sighed thinking about his friend. When their adventure had ended, Geno had to go back to the Star Road, and Mallow had not ever heard from him again. Unfortunately, his responsibilities as prince of Nimbus Land, had also kept him from seeing his other friends Mario, Princess Peach, and Bowser too. He hadn't even seen his grandpa in almost ten years. That was the one drawback of being the ruler of Nimbus Land. It was a beautiful kingdom, the people were wonderful, peaceful, kind individuals, and he loved finally being able to get to know his real parents, but sometimes Mallow wished that Nimbus Land wasn't so isolated from the world below.

_I need to do something about that._ He thought. _There must an easier way for people to be able to come and go as they please from here back down to the earth. A beanstalk and an old, rickety bus ride can no longer be our only options._

Nimbus Land had few visitors from the lands below, mostly due to that problem. Mallow had tried a few times to get some kind of transportation system set up for easier travel, but his ideas had failed. There was just no easy way to get people to come all the way up in the clouds.

_Maybe the answer lies in the warp pipes_. He thought. _I'll need to talk with Peach about trying to set up a warp pipe from here to the Mushroom Kingdom._

Mallow shrugged at the thought, and continued on towards the hill. He was almost there. As he approached, images of his horrible nightmare started to creep back into his head. He shivered again as he reached the base of the hill, and started to climb.

It only took a few minutes, and soon Mallow was sitting on top of the hill, admiring the sight before him. He looked down at the Mushroom Kingdom, and could see thousands of tiny lights illuminating the land like fireflies in the night. He watched as a flock of birds-seagulls, he presumed-flew towards the Great Ocean, flying towards Yoshi's Island. He even gazed awhile at the mountain pass leading to Bowser's Castle. He could just make out the very top of the great castle's spires from behind the mountains.

_I wonder how Bowser is doing. _He thought. _I know he's always been a pain in Mario's side, but I hope he's okay._

Growing up, Mallow had heard a lot of stories about Mario's adventures saving Princess Peach from Bowser's clutches. He had always thought very badly of Bowser, thinking he was just some evil brute who wanted to take over the Mushroom Kingdom and enslave the princess. On his journey with Mario though, Bowser had joined their quest, trying to reclaim his castle from that creep Smithy. Bowser always tried to play himself off as being the leader of the group, and would have never allowed Mario the satisfaction of knowing that it was really Bowser who needed Mario's help more than him.

Mallow had noticed that from the start. Bowser would rarely talk to Mario during their adventure together, but Mallow, with the help of Geno, would sometimes be able to get Bowser to open up a little bit. At first, Bowser annoyed him for the most part, but as their situation became more dire, and they were getting closer to obtaining all of the Star Pieces, Mallow noticed a different side of Bowser. He was still pretty rough around the edges, but Mallow started to see the Koopa King display moments of compassion, bravery, and he even empathy. That final moment when Geno had left the body of the doll he had possessed to go back to the Star Road, Mallow was sure he saw a deep sadness in Bowser's eyes, same as the rest of them.

"He's a bad guy, but I don't think he's pure evil." He found himself saying aloud.

Mallow stretched his arms out over his head, and sprawled out on top of the cloud. He yawned, and rubbed his eyes. He was starting to get tired again, having only slept for a couple of hours, but he knew he would not be able to go back to sleep until he said his prayers and made a wish. Only then would he be comforted enough to know that no matter how bad a dream he had, no matter how clear the vision, that these horrible events would never occur.

Mallow stared up into the night sky, and gazed upon the majesty that was the stars. This sight alone was the reason he loved this spot so much, as he could see the entire night sky. It was a gorgeous night tonight, and one of the benefits of living among the clouds, was that he always had a clear view.

Mallow looked towards the north, searching for a cluster of seven stars, the Star Road. He saw a number of other constellations in the sky, and recognized a few other planets. He saw a small, blue planet, and knew to look just a little north of it and he'd find….

It wasn't there.

Mallow shuddered, and quickly sat up, gazing at an empty space in the sky where the Star Road had been. He could feel himself start to sweat, his skin crawling. His breath started to quicken, and he could hear the sound of his heart beating in his ears.

"Where are they!?" He said worriedly. "They should be right there, but… nothing!"

He franticly started looking about the night sky, trying to see if perhaps he was wrong about the location, but Mallow had been to this spot too many times, and had looked up to the Star Road and prayed almost every day, and knew that his worst fears were true.

The Star Road was gone.

Mallow stood there, in that spot, gazing at the empty space in the sky for what seemed like hours. He started to cry, and rain started to fall in Nimbus Land. A hint of a thought in the back of his mind remembered that it had been about ten years since his tears had caused the rain to fall. He continued to weep, and the rain fell harder.

"There he is!" He heard a voice say.

_Odd, that sounded like it came from right behind me. _He thought.

He turned around just in time to receive a blow to the face. Before he knew it, he was tumbling down the wrong side of the hill. He clenched on to the edge of the cloud with one hand instinctively, the rest of his body hovering far above the land below. Before he knew what had even happened, he saw two dark figures suddenly emerge on the hilltop.

"Go! Finish the job, Dodo!" He heard a woman's voice shout. "Or I swear I will pluck every one of your feathers, and roast you over a fire!"

He grabbed the ledge with his other hand, and started to pull himself up. He tried to do it quickly just as an enormously fat black bird reached him. It had a long yellow beak, colored red at the tip, and wore a small metal hat on it's head. Mallow knew that bird all too well. Mallow pulled himself up, with his back against nothing. The bird jumped in front of him and grinned.

"Dodo!" He shouted. "If it's you, than the woman up there has to be…"

He was cut off as the bird struck him, point blank in the face. The force of the blow sent him falling backward, tumbling off the edge of the cloud into the open air. Mallow screamed as he felt himself falling. He looked back up at where he had fallen, and saw the dreadful bird laughing. He looked back down, and could see the ground getting closer and closer. He saw his grandpa, Mario, Geno, Bowser, his parents, his kingdom. He saw his entire life before him as he fell through the clouds, past a mountain top, and could start to make out the details of the landscape below. He blacked out before it came to meet him.


	6. Chapter 5: The Koopa King

Inside the walls of his castle, King Bowser Koopa sat upon his throne, frustrated. The throne was massive; a likeness of himself carved out of hard stone. An exact replica of his head, depicting his large jaw with razor sharp teeth, sharp horns on the top, and his spikey hair, loomed above him. He rested his long, bulky arms on the likeness of his own, which were outstretched and ended in two fists. They gave a literal definition of the term, "arm rests". The throne was easily twice his size, and the hard stone had been worn in from the many years he, and his ancestors had sat upon it. Most people would have found the throne uncomfortable, but Bowser had always felt that stone was the most comfortable material to rest on.

Bowser wore his crown atop his head today, as he always did when he was giving orders from the throne. He leaned back in the great chair, and scratched himself under his chin. As he scratched, he noticed that his long claws were in need of a good filing. He'd have a servant take care of those, as well as the long claws on his feet, later. He wore chain-like spiked bracelets on his wrists and upper arms, and had a large, spiked shell on his back. Bowser couldn't see his face at the moment, but he was sure the troops kneeling before him could probably see the anger starting to flare up in his hard, red eyes. He pounded his fist down on the arm of the throne, and spoke.

"You mean to tell me that you can't even follow simple instructions?!" He roared. "I ask you to do one thing, and you are too incompetent to even accomplish a simple task!"

The two creatures, a Paratroopa-A turtle like creature with orange skin, a red shell with matching red shoes, and white wings protruding from two holes in it's shell-and a Goomba-a small, brown mushroom-like creature with large, black eyebrows-jumped backwards and started to shiver. They looked into Bowser's eyes, and he could see the fear in theirs.

"Y… Yo… Your wickedness… we tried to get close, but…. we were caught by a couple of Toad guards… and…" The Goomba said, swallowed hard. "They… shouted the alarm, and we had to flee!"

"P.. Please! Your rottenness… We had no choice!" The Paratroopa pleaded. "Please, just… give us another chance!"

Bowser sighed as he watched the pair start to weep. He tried to instill fear into his troops, the best way he knew how to get the results he needed. A lot of the time however, his troops seemed incapable of anything, let alone following simple instructions. What was he to do though? They were all he had.

"Just get out of my sight!" He yelled. "Go train with the other troops. I will summon you when I have use for you. Maybe I'll need someone to clean my shell, or perhaps feed the Chomps. Simple tasks that only morons can handle."

"Th… Thank you, your evilness!" The Goomba said.

The pair bowed and quickly exited the chamber. Bowser watched them go, and continued staring at the large, stone chamber door after they were gone.

_Useless! All useless, the whole lot of them! _He thought. _I need to push them harder, stop being so soft with them. I have a kingdom to conquer, and I'll never get there at this rate._

He sat alone in his royal chamber for quite a while afterward, reflecting on previous failures. The throne room was massive, the largest room in the castle, and carved out of stone. There were large portraits all over the walls of himself, his ancestors and eight smaller portraits of his kids, Lemmy, Larry, Morton, Wendy, Iggy, Roy, Ludwig, and Junior. A long, velvet carpet stretched from the doorway to the foot of his throne. It stretched across a bridge suspended over a large pool of boiling lava. Bowser inhaled the fumes emanating from the pool, and allowed himself a smile. He did love the scent of boiling lava.

Still, despite the pleasure he was getting from that smell, he was very frustrated. Not only had he failed to kidnap Princess Peach and take over the Mushroom Kingdom more times than he would care to remember, but he was getting increasingly worse at it. He had tried all sorts of different tricks to try to accomplish his goal, but he was foiled every single time by those two cursed plumbers. He hated them. He was now even getting to a point where he couldn't kidnap Peach at all. At least previous attempts he was successful for a while, before those two got involved. As of late, he couldn't even get a spy close enough to her.

It was not only aggravating to fail so often, but humiliating. He was _king _of the Koopas! A lot was expected of him, and he had many other lands he wanted to conquer, and other objectives too, but his consistent failure had made him obsessed with trying to find a way to beat the Mario brothers. They constantly shamed him, and he could just not allow himself to let them get away with it. He didn't care if it took one-hundred years, he would beat them, and then Peach, and the Mushroom Kingdom would be his.

_Yes! One day it will all be mine!_ He thought.

He looked to his right, and gazed at a portrait on the wall, just below a large portrait of himself. It was Peach, in her full royal regalia. She wore a pink silk dress, golden grown atop her bright, blonde hair, and her matching light blue brooch and earrings. She wore a smile in this picture, and Bowser found himself staring into her beautiful deep, blue eyes. He often found himself lost in them.

_You will be mine as well, sweet princess. _He thought. _Someday, you will look upon me with great love and respect. I _will _have what's mine, and you are mine! _

He scowled as he heard one of the large doorways to the chamber entrance open. He looked over to see Kamek entering. Kamek was a Magikoopa, and wore a long, dark blue robe, a matching long, wizard-like hat, and dark glasses. He had the turtle beak of a Koopa, and carried a magic wand in his hand. He was Bowser's most trusted advisor, and had acted almost like a father to him since he was a small child. He was one of the very few people Bowser completely trusted. Often times, more than his own children.

"What is it, Kamek?" Bowser shouted as Kamek started crossing the bridge.

"Sire." He said calmly, approaching the throne. "I have big news, news that you must hear immediately."

"Well, what is it? I'm trying to contemplate our next move against the Mushroom Kingdom." He said.

"This is bigger than that I would say, your majesty." Kamek replied.

Bowser raised an eyebrow at that. Kamek knew that nothing was more important to him than the takeover of the Mushroom Kingdom.

"You know nothing is more important than our conquest!" He said.

"I'm afraid this is, sire." He said. "You see, this may just be the most important thing in the entire universe."

Bowser was very taken aback by this, and nodded.

"What's going on?" He said, intrigued.

"Do you remember that incident ten years ago with the stars?" Kamek asked.

"Hmm… Can't recall, Kamek." He said, thinking.

"You know, that erm… temporary truce you had made with Mario, and that journey you went…." Kamek was cut off as Bowser slammed his fist into the arm of the throne. The force of the blow broke the stone hand off of it.

"I TOLD you never to bring that up again!" He roared. "The only reason I even partnered with that damned plumber was to reclaim what is mine! You were NEVER to bring this up again!"

Kamek did not look fazed by his sudden outburst, perhaps knowing that Bowser needed him too much, and that he wouldn't actually reprimand him for bringing it up, but still Bowser's blood boiled. He remembered all too well that journey. Never had he been humiliated to that degree before. That giant sword had fallen from the sky into his castle, sending him flying out of it. He had taken his troops back to the castle a couple of times to try and take it back, but had ultimately failed. Afterward, he had met up with Mario, and reluctantly joined him to reclaim his castle. Some creep named Smithy had taken not only his castle, but his pride, dignity, and to top it off, forced him to become allies with his worst enemy. No victory in his life had been sweeter than when that final blow was struck to Smithy, and he was defeated.

"Why do you bring this up?" He found himself asking Kamek.

"Your majesty, I did not mean to offend, but I needed to bring it up. That… incident ten years ago is why I come to you now." Kamek said. "You see, I've had a vision."

"What? Of the past or something?" He asked.

"No your majesty, of the future." Kamek replied. "You see, I've seen… events coming to pass in the near future. They very deeply concern you, and may be the key to your ultimate victory, or your defeat. There's no clear answer, and none of these events I have foreseen are set in stone. All I can state to you unequivocally, is that soon, a series of major events will come to pass. In fact, they have already started."

"What do you mean they have already started? And, what are these events?" Bowser asked, curiously.

"Well sire, you said to me that during your journey ten years ago, that you collected some Star Pieces, right?" Kamek asked.

"Yes, well Mario…" He growled at having to say that name. "_He_ was the one collecting them. One of his friends, some doll with a stupid blue hat said he was from some place called the "Star Road" or something. He needed the Star Pieces to fix the Star Road, since Smithy had destroyed it. I didn't believe he was anything more than a stupid wooden doll, until he…." He paused. "….he was gone."

Kamek cleared his throat.

"Yes… well, it appears your majesty, that the Star Road is gone." Kamek said.

"Gone?" Bowser said, confused. "What do you mean gone? How do seven stars in the sky just vanish?"

"I couldn't say, your majesty." Kamek said. "But last night after the vision, I consulted my crystal ball, and it showed me an image of the seven stars of the Star Road slowly fading away. I immediately went outside, and watched it transpire with my own eyes."

"Well, what does it mean, Kamek?" Bowser demanded. "You said this event could be the start of a series of events which could lead to my victory or defeat. What will happen next, and what should be our next move?"

"Well, your majesty…" Kamek trailed off, thinking. "I'm honestly not too sure. I would say that we need to be on guard for now, and prepare the troops as best we can for the best or the worst possible outcome.

"That's it?!" Bowser exclaimed. "You say something major is happening, and all you'd have me do is prepare the troops and be "on guard"?!"

"What other choice do we have your majesty? I've tried consulting the crystal ball a number of other times, but it won't show me anything else." Kamek said worriedly.

Bowser stood up and walked over to the lava pool. He took a deep breath and inhaled the intoxicating hot fumes. He stared into the lava, deep in thought. He stood there for quite a long time, contemplating this situation. He would play this hand as it was dealt to him, and he _would _be victorious. After a while, he turned back to Kamek, who also seemed deep in thought.

"Prepare the troops." He said to Kamek. "And summon my children to my chamber immediately."

"What do you plan, sire?" Kamek asked curiously.

Bowser took a deep breath, and crossed his arms across his chest. He stared directly into Kamek's eyes, and spoke.

"Something I may regret later, but we have no choice." He said.

Kamek nodded, and turned to leave. Bowser stopped him.

"And, Kamek." He said as Kamek approached the door.

Kamek paused and looked back at him.

"I have a special mission for you. This must be done in absolute secrecy, and you must do it quickly…"


	7. Chapter 6: Unexpected Visitors

The intoxicating aroma of home cooked food filled the dining room of Princess Peach's castle. It was lunchtime, and the long, wooden table had been filled with an assortment of dishes for the midday meal. Mario's mouth watered as he surveyed the table.

There were various pasta dishes; spaghetti, linguini in mushroom sauce, fried Cheep Cheep in tomato sauce, and the sweet scent of garlic filled Mario's nostrils as he scooped a dish of ravioli onto his plate. There were other foods too, a large bowl of salad with fresh tomatoes, cheese, and mushrooms, a very large basket of mixed fruit of all varieties, fresh baked bread, and an assortment of different sandwiches. Mario took all of the scents in, and smiled. He loved lunchtime, and although it had been quite a stressful day, it was nice to sit down and be able to enjoy a meal.

He was dressed in his usual attire, a simple red shirt, blue overalls, his good, worn-in work boots, and he wore his white plumber's gloves. He adjusted his red cap on his head, and proceeded to scoop some spaghetti onto his plate. He looked over to Peach, sitting at the head of the table in a large, throne-like wooden chair. She looked beautiful as ever today, in a gorgeous short-sleeved pink dress that had elegant designs stitched on the cuffs. A sky blue colored brooch was pinned to her chest-a family heirloom-and she wore her golden crown on her head. The crown was also an heirloom, and had small jewels embedded into the gold. She sat up very straight, and delicately plucked an apple from the basket. She placed a folded pink napkin on her lap, and started to slice the apple very carefully. Even during meal time, she showed all the grace of a princess.

Peach looked at Mario, and gave him a small smile. He found himself staring for a few seconds, and smiled back to her. He nodded as he proceeded to scoop some fried mushrooms on his plate. Mario looked across the table, and smiled at his friend Yoshi, who was trying very hard to show proper table etiquette. Mario knew it was difficult for him. Yoshi's were a kind and gentle species, but were more free spirited. Mario knew his friend, and was sure he was resisting every urge to just lash his long tongue out at the food, and gorge himself. Mario honestly didn't blame him, and would have liked very much to do the same. He nodded to Yoshi, sympathetic.

"Hehe!" Peach giggled as she watched Yoshi attempt to spoon some fried Cheep Cheep on his plate. It looked like poor Yoshi had never used a utensil in his life, and was trying desperately to scoop some of the dish out of the bowl, only managing a very small spoonful of sauce each time. Yoshi sighed in frustration.

"It's okay Yoshi." Peach said with a smile. "You may dig in. I had Tayce T. bring out a separate helping of everything for you, so that way you didn't have to worry about using the plates and silverware. I know lunchtime is a little different at Yoshi's Island than here."

"Thank you, Princess!" Yoshi said with a relieved look. "I'm sorry, I'm trying, but I just can't see why someone would use something so terrible! This spoon barely gives me any food!"

Peach giggled again as Yoshi lashed his tongue out at a plate of the fried Cheep Cheep. In a flash the food, and the plate was gone.

"Oh… oops…. Pardon…" Yoshi said apologetically. He quickly spat the empty plate out onto the table, and burped. The plate came up completely clean, and Mario could see the reflection of the great chandelier above them on the fine glass of the plate.

"Erm… excuse me, princess." He said apologetically.

Peach giggled again, and took a small bite out of a piece of bread. She smiled at Yoshi.

"Yoshi, you have eaten with us many times, and frankly, have been our friend for years. Please, enjoy yourself. Eat your fill, we can get more if we run out." Peach said.

Yoshi nodded and proceeded to eat more. He lashed his tongue out at the salad bowl, and it was gone in a gulp. He then went for the fruit basket, and one by one ate each piece of fruit until the whole basket was gone. He went for a plate of mushrooms, and it was gone in a matter of seconds. Within minutes, half of the food on the table was gone.

Mario grinned as he rolled a helping of spaghetti on his fork. One thing he and Yoshi had always had in common was their love of food. He remembered their first adventure together, when he had discovered Yoshi trapped in an egg that Bowser had put him in. Yoshi had been very grateful to Mario for rescuing him, and they had become fast friends, and fellow adventurers. Mario witnessed first hand how big Yoshi's appetite had been, and Yoshi had used his big appetite and that crazy tongue as actual weapons on their adventure. Yoshi, and all Yoshis could literally eat anything, and would if you let them.

Mario had always loved food, and had never met someone who could out eat him, that is, until he met Yoshi. The pair had shared many meals, and Mario remembered after that first adventure together the feast that was had in Yoshi's Island after Bowser was defeated. He had never seen so much fruit, fish and other dishes as there were that day. He had eaten, danced and sang with the Yoshis, all day and night, and it had been one of the most enjoyable experiences of his life. Mario, Luigi and Peach had ended up vacationing there for close to a month afterward, living among the Yoshis, and having fun. By the end of the vacation, Mario knew that Yoshi was a friend for life.

Mario watched as Yoshi lapped up another plate of spaghetti, and paused for a moment. He thought he saw great sadness in Yoshi's eyes, and Yoshi looked down at the table. He looked over at Peach, who was taking a bite of salad, and nodded towards Yoshi.

"It's lovely to have you here with us for lunch, Yoshi." Peach said sweetly. "My guess is that you didn't just come to eat with us, though."

Yoshi looked up at Peach and nodded, Mario noticed a small tear star to trickle down Yoshi's large, green nose.

"Are you okay, buddy?" Mario asked his friend. "What's going on? How can we help?"

Yoshi had arrived not even an hour ago via warp pipe. He had said he needed to talk to Peach and him immediately, and that something big had happened. Peach had invited him to lunch, and had been helping Tayce T. with the meal. Mario had not been at the castle, and instead was at his house, trying to get Luigi to come for lunch. Luigi hadn't been home, so Mario had come back and sent Toad out to try and find him. Luigi more than likely would miss lunch, but that was not why Mario had needed him. Mario had known what happened last night was a bad omen, and needed to talk to Luigi about it.

Now Yoshi was here, with big news, and very clearly upset. What was happening?

"I… I'm… no, Mario. I'm not." Yoshi said sadly.

"What happened?" Peach asked.

"Last night…" Yoshi sniffed. "Last night me and all of the other Yoshi's were dancing for the Super Happy Tree, and something terrible happened."

Yoshi's face started to get pale, and Mario thought it looked like Yoshi was going to be sick.

"It… it died." Yoshi whispered.

"It? You mean… The Super Happy Tree?" Mario asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, the Super Happy Tree." Yoshi said.

"Oh, dear. I'm so sorry Yoshi." Peach said sympathetically. "What happened, how did it die?"

"It just… died." Yoshi said sadly. "It shouted this horrible… noise I've never heard before, and the bark just turned into the color of ashes, and it just… died. The leaves died and fell off, and all of the fruit on the tree fell, rotten."

Yoshi frowned, and his head sunk. He sighed heavily, as Peach got up from her chair to comfort him. She patted him on the head, and gave him a hug.

"It's going to be okay, Yoshi." She said softly patting his head.

Mario thought for a moment. This was a very bad sign, indeed. First the Star Road, and now the Super Happy Tree, which had been alive and healthy for generations, just suddenly withered away. Something was happening, something big, and Mario needed to get to the bottom of it.

"Yoshi." Mario said. "Did anything else happen? Did you see anything else out of the ordinary? Or someone?"

Yoshi looked over at Mario as Peach let him go. He wiped a tear from his eye, and scratched his nose.

"Yes, come to think of it." Yoshi said. "Before the Super Happy Tree wilted away, it shouted in a horrible voice, "Star" and one of my friends pointed into the sky. I saw two shooting stars, and a bunch of stars winking out. Mario, isn't that….?"

"The Star Road." Peach said with a shocked look on her face.

"We saw it too, Yoshi." Mario said. "Last night, the princess and I were on the balcony making a wish, and we watched the seven stars of the Star Road wink out, one by one."

"You saw it too?!" Yoshi exclaimed.

"Yes," Peach nodded. "We saw the shooting stars, too."

"W… What does it mean?" Yoshi asked. "It can't be a coincidence that both the Star Road faded away and the Super Happy Tree died on the same night."

"I think the tree's last word confirmed that my friend." Mario said. "The two must be linked somehow."

"What do we do?" Peach said. "If the Star Road is truly gone, then that means wishes will no longer be granted, and the Super Happy Tree is such a vital part of Yoshi's whole culture… this is a bad sign, Mario."

"I don't know what it means," Mario said. "But I'm going to find out. We need to figure out why the Star Road vanished, and how we can fix it."

"But where do we start?" Yoshi asked. "The Star Road is so far away, and we have no way of traveling there."

"We need to do something." Mario said. "The longer we take to act, the more out of control things will get."

"Oh, Mario! I worry about Bowser too!" Peach said worriedly. "My guards caught two of his minions trying to spy on the castle the other day. I'm afraid he might be planning something! If he manages to kidnap me, and wishes can't be granted… Maybe I'll never be rescued!"

"Don't worry Peach, I will _not _allow that to happen." Mario said, determinedly.

"We need a plan." Yoshi said.

Mario thought for a moment, trying to figure out an answer. Things were happening quickly, and Mario needed to act quickly before something else terrible happened, and it was too late. He would get to the bottom of this, and he would certainly make sure that Peach was safe. If only he had some answers. Who would know why the Star Road winked out though? It's not like someone was actually there to witness it happen. All people would hear would be gossip and… The thought came to Mario in a flash, and he knew exactly what he needed to do.

"The first thing we need to do, is gather everyone together." Mario said. "Peach, I need for you to send word to the kingdom to keep on guard twenty-four seven. We need as many eyes and ears around as we can. We also need to have a meeting. We must contact Daisy immediately, and explain to her the situation. Hopefully Toad comes back with Luigi soon."

"I'll send out a message right away." Peach said. "From Toad Town to the Donut Plains, I'll have people on guard. I'll send a messenger to Sarasaland too."

"Great, thank you, Peach." Mario said. "Yoshi, would you accompany me? There is someone I need to talk with desperately."

"Sure Mario, where are we going?" Yoshi asked.

"We need to go to Tadpole Pond. I must speak with Frogfucious." Mario said.

"I forgot about him, it's been years since we've seen him." Peach said.

"Yes, it has, but he's the only person I can think of who might actually have some idea of what's going on. Perhaps he has some answers for us." Mario said. "It's about a day's journey from here. Peach, as soon as Toad and my brother get back, have them stay close. I want you well guarded until we can get some answers."

"Okay, I will be extra careful Mario." Peach said.

"Great, now when my brother gets back, could you give him a message for me?" Mario asked.

Mario was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"You may enter." Peach said.

The large wooden door opened, and Toadsworth entered. He was an old Toad with brown spots on his head, thick white mustaches, and wore a light purple dress shirt underneath a darker purple vest. Small framed spectacles rested in front of his dark eyes, and he carried a wooden cane with a small, brown mushroom shaped handle. He wiped some sweat from his brow, and the cane shook in his fist. Toadsworth looked genuinely troubled, and breathed heavily as he greeted them.

"I'm… sorry to disturb you Princess, Master Mario, Master Yoshi." Toadsworth said as he nodded to each in turn. "There's a erm…. Visitor here to see Master Mario."

"Who is it Toadsworth?" Mario asked curiously.

"Well, um… you see, we tried to turn him away, but… he threatened the guards! The guards tried to detain him and when they did…" Toadsworth licked his lips, and grabbed a handkerchief from his shirt pocket. He wiped the sweat from his head, and took a deep breath. "He… turned the guards into Goombas! Just took his wand and…"

"A… Magikoopa?" Peach gasped. "Is that who's here? To see Mario?"

"What does he want?" Yoshi asked, standing up acknowledging Toadsworth.

"Not just any Magikoopa…" Toadsworth replied nervously. "It's Bowser's man, Kamek."

Mario quickly suppressed a look of shock as Peach, Yoshi and Toadsworth looked towards him, looking genuinely flabbergasted. Mario crossed his arms, and looked towards Toadsworth.

"What does he want?" Mario asked. "What does Bowser's right hand man want to talk to _me_ about?"

"Pardon, Master Mario." Toadsworth said politely. "He wouldn't say. He said he wished to speak directly with Mario, and no one else."

"It has to be some kind of trick!" Peach exclaimed. "Since when has Bowser or any of his lackeys ever just showed up at the door wanting to talk?"

Mario stroked his mustache for a moment, contemplating. What was Bowser planning? He thought to himself for a moment, and nodded.

"Take me to him, Toadsworth." Mario said, crossing the room to Toadsworth. "Yoshi, please stay here with Peach, and guard her."

"Sure thing Mario." Yoshi replied, nodding. "I'll guard her with my life, you just be careful. If anything seems fishy at all, shout and I'll come running."

"No, if I shout, take the princess out of the back door, and get her out of here." Mario said. "Toadsworth, lead the way, please."

Yoshi nodded, and Mario followed Toadsworth as he exited the dining room. Mario walked towards the doorway and looked back at Peach.

"Be careful, Mario." Peach said with a worried expression on her face.

"You know I will, my love." Mario replied affectionately. "You be careful too, and if something goes wrong, run as fast as you can, and don't stay out of Yoshi's sight."

Peach shook her head, and Mario followed Toadsworth down the long hallway leading out from the dining room. A long, red velvet carpet stretched the length of the hallway, covering the hard stone floor. There were multiple doors along the chamber, as it was the main hall of the castle. Toadsworth lead Mario past a number of doors, and after a few minutes of walking, reached another large, wooden door at the end of the hallway.

"He's in the foyer at the main entrance by the doors." Toadsworth said nervously. "I kept ten of the royal guards in here to watch him, but I'm worried about them. If Kamek is that powerful in magic, they could be Goombas or something worse even if they've angered him."

"Don't worry, Toadsworth," Mario said. "I'll take care of everything. If things get bad, I have a backup plan."

Mario clutched the gold star in his back pocket. The little star, if ingested, would give him temporary invincibility. If Kamek tried to pull anything, Mario would use the power of the star, and fight him. It certainly wouldn't have been the first time he had to fight Kamek.

Toadsworth nodded to Mario as he opened the door. Mario entered the main foyer, and quickly surveyed the room. The room was huge, with multiple wooden doors leading to other rooms in the castle. The doors had small, golden stars painted on the front of them, and lined the lower floor. Mario was at the top of a staircase that led to the main entrance. At the foot of the staircase, a large circular rug with the image of Peach laid over the black and white tiled floor. The ceiling was huge, the large, stained glass windows let in the sunshine. Mario descended the stairs, and stared at the great, stone doorways at the entrance. Kamek stood in front of them, clutching his broom in his right hand, and his magic wand in the other. Ten of Peach's royal guard surrounded him, all in plate and mail, clutching spears.

As Mario reached the foot of the stairs, Kamek spoke up.

"There you are!" Kamek shouted, sounding irritated. "I have been waiting here for almost an hour! I would think that her highness would be a bit more hospitable to a guest."

"To a guest, yes." Mario replied. "A threat however, the princess does not take lightly."

"Phaw!" Kamek scowled. "Trust me, plumber. If I wanted to be a threat, I would have gotten to her highness a lot quicker, and this pathetic guard you have here on me would be nothing but dust." He grinned as he watched the guards visibly shake. Toadsworth jumped, and ran behind Mario.

"Had you busted in, you would have envied the guards your decimated you fiend!" Mario growled back.

Kamek laughed. "I would love to see you attempt that, but sadly it will have to wait for another day." He said regretfully. "For I come before you today not for a fight, but merely to talk."

"What would you possibly have to say that would interest me in the slightest bit?" Mario replied.

"My orders are to speak with you, and you alone. Get these other half-wits out of here!" Kamek said, gesturing at the guards. "Then we speak."

"Only until you turn those guards outside back into themselves." Mario said. "And only until then, will I considered your request.

"Oh, fine, then!" Kamek scowled. "Give me one minute."

Kamek opened the door behind him, and walked outside.

"I don't like this, Master Mario." Toadsworth said nervously. "He can't be trusted! He's Bowser's top advisor!"

"I know, Toadsworth, but he made a point. If he wanted to, he could have busted into the castle and really have done some damage. I would have stopped him, but it does appear that he's come in peace."

"Well, I will trust your word then." Toadsworth groaned. Mario didn't think he looked too happy about it, but he didn't say anything further. The door opened again, and Kamek entered, the two guards on his toes.

"Mario!" One of the guards shouted. "This fiend used his magic on us!"

"Please, go back outside guys, I'll take care of things from here." Mario said back to them.

The pair gave him a confused look, and reluctantly went back to their posts. The great doors slammed behind them.

"Well, plumber. Your move." Kamek said impatiently. "I don't have all day."

Mario nodded.

"Leave us, gentleman." Mario said to the guards. "You too, Toadsworth. Check on the princess, I'll be with you shortly."

Toadsworth all but ran back up the stairs, and the other guards followed. They eyed Kamek until they reached the doorway, exiting the room one by one. Mario heard the door slam shut behind them. He turned to Kamek.

"So, Bowser's right hand just shows up at the door of Princess Peach's castle, and says it's in peace. Explain to me why I shouldn't just dismiss this as some plot to steal the princess and take over the kingdom, and vanquish you." Mario said, taking a few steps toward Kamek. He crossed his arms and gave Kamek a dark look.

"You think I want to be here, plumber?" Kamek said angrily. He adjusted the large, dark blue wizard hat on his head, and pointed his broom at Mario. "I'm here on King Bowser's command. His vileness would have loved to come here in person, but is a bit preoccupied at the moment. Trust me, walking through the front door of the castle is the most foolhardy, ridiculous plan of a kidnapping I've ever heard. Quite frankly, I like to be on the sidelines, pulling the strings, not the front lines, where fools find themselves dead."

"Well then, what do you want?" Mario demanded. "Or rather, what does your bumbling idiot of a king want?

Kamek paused for a moment, and sighed. He turned back towards the door and looked over his shoulder. Mario couldn't see his eyes behind those dark framed glasses that Kamek wore, but Mario thought his body language showed a great sense of reluctance.

"His evilness has sent me here to offer a temporary truce." Kamek mumbled. "His grace has a lot on his plate right now, and quite frankly does not have the time for your meddling."

Mario again had to suppress a look of shock on his face. This had to be a trick, in all of the years Mario knew Bowser, he had never offered a truce. Except once, when he was in a very desperate situation. Mario had allied with Bowser temporarily when Smithy had stolen his castle, and destroyed the Star Road, but it had not been an easy journey. Bowser was very often obnoxious, untrustworthy, and unreliable. Mario was relieved when the two had parted company, and had once again been enemies.

"Treachery!" Mario exclaimed. "What is he planning? Tell me, or I'll end you here and now!" Mario reached for the gold star in his pocket.

Kamek quickly rounded on Mario and pointed his wand right at his face.

"This is no trick you fool plumber!" Kamek shouted angrily. "Bowser does not need your retched meddling right now! He does not want to see your ugly face, and quite frankly could care less about the princess at the moment. Trust me, this truce will not last forever, but for now we're done with you and the Mushroom Kingdom! It can all burn for all we care!"

Mario was about to respond, but really studied Kamek for a minute. He seemed genuine-well, as genuine as member of the Koopa Troop could be anyway-and looked visibly frustrated. Mario imagined Kamek was almost insulted that he had to be the one to come to Mario for peace. Could he be telling the truth? If what Kamek said was true, and Bowser didn't want temporary peace, what was he planning?

"You're serious." Mario said. "He really doesn't want to cause any trouble? And for how long?"

Kamek sighed as he pulled a rolled up piece of paper from the sleeve of his cloak. He handed it to Mario. Mario grabbed it from him, and unrolled it, and read the words.

_Mario,_

_I, Bowser, King of the Koopas and leader of the Koopa Troop, hereby declare that there shall be a temporary truce between the Koopas and the Mushroom Kingdom. I don't want to see your fat, ugly, Koopa be damned face anywhere near my kingdom, and I and my troops will not cause trouble to you and your people. I will not attempt to kidnap Peach, and we will have peace for a time. This is not something I do without reservations, and I hate it, but we will have peace until I otherwise say so. Princess Peach and the Mushroom Kingdom _will_ be mine, but not until I sort out other things. Just, leave me the hell alone!_

_-King Bowser Koopa, leader of the Koopa Troop_

Mario felt an equal sense of confusion and anger as he read the letter. It was barely legible, and there were scratches and blots of ink all over the paper. Bowser seemed to have pressed a seal of some sort on it, a Koopa shell stamped in red at the bottom. Next to it, there was a space for Mario to sign.

"If Bowser is serious about this, why doesn't he have Peach sign it?" Mario asked.

"He's not worried about her, it's you he wants out of his hair. If her highness wants to come visit us at the castle, she's more than welcome." Kamek said sarcastically.

"How will I know you'll hold up your end of the bargain?" Mario said sternly. "What assurances can you give me?"

Kamek laughed.

"None." Kamek said "But what do you honestly have to lose?"

Mario thought for a moment, and reluctantly, he reached in his pocket for a pen. He signed the bottom of the paper.

"Alright, you have my word. We won't bother you, if you leave us alone." Mario said. "How am I to know when the truce is ended?"

"Oh, don't worry, you'll know plumber. You'll know." Kamek grinned.

Mario sighed as he thrust the paper into Kamek's hand.

"The truce starts now. Get out of here before I throw you out." Mario said angrily.

Kamek nodded, and walked out the door.

Mario stood there for a few minutes after Kamek left, and thought to himself.

_If Bowser genuinely wants this truce, what could possibly be going on that takes precedence over taking over the Kingdom? And what if not, what's he planning? _He thought. _There are too many questions, and no answers. This day is just getting weirder and weirder and._

First the Star Road, then the Super Happy Tree, now this. Big things were happening, and Mario was really starting to feel uneasy about it. He felt like he was starting to lose control of the situation

"I hope Frogfucious has some answers for me." He found himself saying aloud. "We're in big trouble if he doesn't."

He sighed, and walked back up the stairs to tell the others what happened.


	8. Chapter 7: In Search of a Friend

It was a bright, sunny afternoon in Toad Town, and the streets were crowded. It was early in the afternoon, and the people of Toad Town were out and about, attending to their daily jobs, shopping, or even just frolicking in the sun. Toad walked towards the entrance of a small park, and sat down on a bench right inside the park's entrance. He was getting rather frustrated, having spent almost two hours since he left the castle searching for Luigi. He still didn't even have a clue as to what direction his friend went in.

Toad sighed, and allowed himself to sit back for a moment before he started searching again. He leaned back on the bench, soaking in the warm sun, and tried to think of where Luigi could have gone. He had already asked dozens of people if they had seen him, but no one he had talked to had seen neither hide nor hat of the green clad plumber. He frowned, scratching his head trying to figure out where else he could check, or who he could ask.

He had checked a number of places already. The post office, the library, numerous restaurants, even knocked on a few resident's doors, but Luigi had not been anywhere. Toad was starting to think he was running out of places to look. Mario had seemed pretty urgent about talking with his brother, and Toad assured Mario he'd find Luigi. He wouldn't give up, but feared he'd soon have to start looking out of town to find him. Where had he gone? How could he have left town without anyone seeing him?

Toad pondered this for a few minutes as he rested on the park bench. He was starting to get worried that maybe something had happened to him. Mario had said that he had went to the house this morning, and Luigi was already gone. Perhaps maybe he took it upon himself to take a little vacation? Toad hoped not, otherwise he'd never find him. Luigi was a pretty laid back person, but would once in a while surprise everyone by doing something pretty spontaneous, like the time he had won that mansion, and actually ended up saving Mario from some ghost king. Everyone had been really surprised to see that Luigi had set out on his own adventure. Maybe that's what he was doing now?

Toad groaned as he got up from the bench to start searching again. He decided to try the train station. If Luigi went out of town, maybe he took a train, and one of the people at the station would have seen him. Toad made his way downtown towards the train station, and decided to ask a few people along the way if they had seen Luigi.

"Excuse me," Toad said to a Toad with a yellow spotted head and red vest. "I'm looking for Luigi, have you by chance seen him?"

"Nope, sorry." The Toad replied. "I haven't seen either of the Mario brothers in a while."

Toad frowned and nodded to the other Toad.

"Thanks anyway." Toad said.

Toad asked about half a dozen more people as he made his way towards the train station, but nobody had seen anything. Toad wasn't surprised, he was starting to get used to the idea that he would never find Luigi. He could see the train station ahead, and hear the whistle blowing as the big, red train started to depart. He stopped walking at a gate as it closed in front of the train tracks, and he watched as the train rolled out. After a few minutes, the gates over the train tracks had opened, and Toad walked across the tracks to the station. There he saw a Toad with blue spots in a red conductor's uniform, and stopped him.

"Excuse me, sir." Toad said. "Luigi didn't happen to come by here did he? Maybe take a train out of town?"

The Toad shook his head.

"Sorry, son." The conductor replied. "I have been here since the station opened this morning, and I haven't seen Luigi here at all. At the very least, I know he didn't get on a train."

Toad frowned again.

"Alright, thanks." Toad sighed as he walked away.

To Toad it seemed like now he had officially checked every place in Toad Town where Luigi could have gone. Toad Town was not large by any means. Although it literally resided right outside the castle grounds, it only had a few small districts. The southern district which Toad was in now had the train station, a shop and a few homes. The northern district had a an inn, a few shops, a library, and a gate that lead to the castle. The western district had a dojo, a shop, a few residences and a pipe that lead outside of town to where the Mario brothers lived. The eastern district led out to a road which, after crossing miles of fields, forest, and a rather large desert, you could reach the kingdom of Sarasaland. People would often opt to take the train there, but some liked to venture on foot.

Toad didn't even no where to start. There was no sign of Luigi anywhere, so what was he to do? Just pick a random direction and hope he encountered Luigi somewhere along the way? Toad knew a good portion of the Mushroom Kingdom, but felt that even with all of his knowledge, it would still be like finding a needle in a hay stack. He had one more place he could check just a little outside of town, but was a bit reluctant to do it, since it would be unpleasant. He had saved it for last, but now he was so desperate for some kind of lead, that he'd go take the shot.

Toad made his way west, to try his luck at a small castle-like mansion on a hill. It was the home of Wario and Waluigi.

_Wario and his brother give me the creeps. _He thought. _But maybe they will at least tell me if they have seen Luigi. I'll take anything at this point._

Toad sighed again, as he walked past a crowd of Toads talking. He recognized them all, since he had asked the group if they had seen Luigi earlier. He continued walking for a few minutes, and entered the western district now, passing the long staircase leading up to the second floor of the dojo. He passed a shop, and the library as well, having checked both locations earlier. He found the gate leaving Toad Town, which had a great arch sign in lights that simply said, "Toad Town". Right past the arch would be a warp pipe that led directly to Mario and Luigi's house.

_If Wario or Waluigi don't have any information, I'll check the Mario brother's place for clues, or maybe I'll be lucky and Luigi will have returned._ He thought.

Toad walked past the warp pipe, and started making his way towards the rolling hills before him. It would only take him about fifteen minutes to walk there. As he scaled the first hill, he could see Wario's place in the distance, maybe a half mile away. The hills before him were actually very beautiful, and Wario's place sat flat atop the highest one. He started making his way towards it, hiking along lost in thought.

Toad couldn't shake this uneasy feeling he'd had since early this morning. Toad had just awoken from a wonderful night's sleep, when he had joined Mario and Princess Peach for breakfast. Over a delicious breakfast of fresh fruit from Yoshi's Island, eggs, and some fresh baked cookies made of shredded fire flowers, Mario and the princess had explained to Toad about what they had seen the night before in the sky. The seven stars of the Star Road had winked out one by one, and they had seen two shooting stars. Mario and the princess had seemed genuinely troubled by it, and Toad had to admit that it shook him too.

The Star Road granted wishes, and without it, what would the people of the Mushroom Kingdom do? Toad remembered the adventure Mario and the princess had gone on almost ten years ago to collect the seven star pieces, and repair the Star Road. It had proven to be one of Mario's most difficult adventures, but he had in the end recovered all of the stars, saved the Mushroom Kingdom, and beaten Smithy and his gang of weapons. Toad remember how dire the situation had become, and how close Smithy had come to reaching his goal.

Toad shivered at that thought. Now the Star Road was gone. Had it been destroyed for good this time? Did someone attack it? Toad thought for a moment about what could have happened, and quickly dismissed the idea that Smithy had returned, and destroyed it again.

_Mario defeated him. He has to be dead, otherwise why wait ten years to try it again? _Toad thought.

Toad wasn't doing a good job convincing himself, and quickly suppressed the thought. No matter what the reason, whether Smithy had returned or something else had happened, Toad knew Mario would save the day like he always did. He wondered if Mario was already thinking about what actions he would take in light of this news.

_How does he do it? _Toad thought. _How is he so brave all of the time? He always jumps into action, beats the bad guy, and saves the princess. I wish I could be more like him._

Toad frowned as he realized that as long as the Star Road was gone, his wish would not come true.

Toad kept walking for a while, until he reached the large doors of Wario's castle. The castle was big, but didn't seem so grand compared to Princess Peach's castle. The stone bricks were a much darker color stone than hers, and the three spires shooting out of the roof were much shorter. Wario's place was much more richly decorated, however. On each side of Toad two very large pure gold statues of Wario stood proudly, and the entire castle had gold etched in elaborate designs along the stone bricks. He could see small portraits of Wario in gold through the stained glass windows, and the grand doors in front of him-They had to be at least ten feet tall-were also pure gold. To Toad, Wario may have been a bit of a slob, but he sure had fine taste, and a never ending lust for gold.

Toad took a deep breath as he grabbed one of the large, ring shaped gold knockers-Encrusted with small diamonds no less-and pounded on the door with all of his might. He knocked three times. Toad waited for a moment for an answer. He looked down at his feet, and noticed the welcome mat he was standing on. It read, "Go Away!".

Toad jumped as he heard one of the doors start to slowly creep open. He looked up to see an extremely tall, lanky man in black overalls, a long sleeved purple shirt and matching hat, and orange shoes that curved up at the tips. He had a long face, hard jaw, a long pointy pink nose, and thin black mustaches that pointed upwards to his pointy ears. The man looked down at Toad with his hard, dark eyes and scowled. It was Wario's brother, Waluigi.

"Eh! What do you want mushroom boy?!" Waluigi scowled. "Can't you read the mat? Go Away!"

Toad grabbed the door as Waluigi tried to close it back up and shouted.

"Please! I need just a moment of your time!" Toad pleaded.

Waluigi sighed and opened the door a little more. He scowled again, and crossed his long, lanky arms.

"It better be quick!" Waluigi muttered. "I'm busy practicing my tennis game. I don't plan on losing to those damned Mario brothers again!"

Toad gritted his teeth as he spoke. He was hoping Wario would be the one to answer the door. Although Wario didn't really like Luigi, he didn't have a hatred for him nearly as strong as Waluigi did. Waluigi had a deep rooted jealousy of Luigi apparently since the two of them were kids.

"I have actually come to ask you about Luigi." Toad said hesitantly. "I was wondering if you or your brother had seen him today. Maybe challenged him to a tennis match or something?"

Waluigi's face turned red at that moment, and as Toad looked at his eyes, he thought he could see fire in them.

"Luigi?!" Waluigi growled. "NO! I haven't seen that filthy, do goody rat since he beat me in the tennis tournament! I hope he's dead and rotting in an alley somewhere!"

Toad jumped back and fell as Waluigi slammed the door in his face.

"GO AWAY!" Waluigi shouted from the other side of the door. "And if you see that green plumber, tell him I will get him next time! He won't humiliate Waluigi again!"

Toad could hear the echoes of Waluigi's footsteps walking away from the door. He got back up, and brushed himself off.

_I should have known that was a stupid idea. _Toad thought. _Like Waluigi or Wario would tell me if they saw him anyway._

Toad turned away from the door, and started to make his way across the hills back to Toad Town. After about ten minutes of hiking through the hills, he saw the entranceway of Toad Town. He made his way to the green warp pipe right outside of the entrance, and paused right before it.

_Well, I might as well see if Luigi decided to go back home. _He thought.

Toad took a few steps back, ran and jumped right into the pipe. He saw nothing but darkness as the magical pipe transported him at a very fast speed to a bright light. He was literally racing towards the light at the end of the tunnel. It happened in a matter of seconds, and soon he was coming up out of the other end of the warp pipe. He stood on top of the other end of it, and found himself in Mario and Luigi's front yard.

Toad stared at the Mario brother's humble little house only a few yards in front of him. It was a humble, wooden house one story tall with a small stoop leading up to the red wooden door. There was a sign above the door in red letters that read simply, "Mario" and he could see a few long, green pipes laying on the ground at the sides of the house. Toad jumped off the pipe, crossed the yard, ascended the stairs, and reached for the doorknob. It was open, fortunately and Toad walked inside.

"Hello? Mario? Luigi?" He heard a woman's voice say from the next room as he entered the house.

Toad paused as he watched a tall woman in a yellow dress walk out of the living room into the kitchen where Toad was standing by the door. Behind her, an older looking Toad with a dark beard, an eye patch and holding a spear walked through the entranceway.

"Daisy? Mash?" Toad asked curiously. "What are you guys doing here?"

Daisy adjusted the golden crown on her head, and nodded at Mash.

"I just arrived here about an hour ago." Daisy said. "I need to speak with Mario and Luigi, it's urgent. Mash and I decided to wait here to see if they'd come back soon, and we were about to give up and check Peach's castle."

Toad thought Daisy sounded worried. She kept rubbing her hands together and was visibly trembling. Toad had known Daisy for a long time, and knew how tough she was. What could have happened that upset Daisy so much?

"Mario is at the castle now." Toad replied. "I'm honestly not sure where Luigi went. I have actually been searching for him all morning. I just came back here now to see if he returned home."

"Oh, my. I hope he's okay." Daisy shook her head.

"What's troubling you princess?" Toad asked. "Forgive me, but you look really worried."

Daisy took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"My kingdom was attacked this morning." She said softly. "I came for help."

"Her highness and I barely escaped ourselves." Mash said. "We managed to make it to the traveling grounds, and take a warp pipe that led right outside of Toad Town. We made our way here as quickly as we could.

Toad felt a wave of shock go through him. First the Star Road, now Sarasaland had been attacked. What was going on? And where was Luigi?

"Attacked?!" Toad exclaimed. "Who would attack your kingdom?"

"An old adversary." Daisy said solemnly. "I need to go take it back, but I can't do it alone."

"Come, princess!" Toad waved Daisy out the door. "Let's go see Mario and Peach, they will know what to do."

Daisy nodded, and her and Mash walked out the door. Toad paused for a moment at the doorway and let out another sigh.

_Luigi, where are you? _He thought as he walked out the door.


	9. Chapter 8: Two Shooting Stars

High above the blue skies of the Mushroom Kingdom, two small stars descended side by side towards the great land below. Their pace was a quick one, like two tiny asteroids falling toward the earth. The stars had just entered the earth's atmosphere, and were passing through a thick layer of puffy white clouds, leaving two tiny trails of stardust behind them. They shone brightly, emanating a light glow from their bodies. One of the little stars was clutching a small rod in its hands; a bright yellow glowing star shape made up its head, and the body of the rod was a light blue coloration etched with other small star shapes in it.

The little star tightened his grip on the Star Rod as he and Twink passed through the clouds. He looked over determinedly at Twink who nodded in response. It had been a long journey to earth from the Star Road, and he and Twink had traveled all night through space at blinding speed to seek help in the Mushroom Kingdom. The pair had traveled very far in an extremely short amount of time, and the little star was starting to feel the fatigue of his journey weigh on him, but sheer determination and dire need drove him forward.

_This is no time to rest. _He thought to himself. _The fate of the entire universe is in your hands, and you must not be so quick to tire out._

The little star gritted his teeth as he thought about the events that had transpired the night before. He had witnessed with his own eyes the horrible destruction of his home, his people, and the hopes and dreams of everyone in the universe. The very core of his being filled with a torrent of emotions that brought him both overwhelming sadness, and blind rage. He watched his people taken prisoner, many killed by vicious beasts, and he watched entire cities burned to the ground, the very earth they rested upon uprooted and destroyed. He watched the neighboring star lands, and the beautiful rainbow roads completely obliterated by horrible machines. The pain he felt inside was indescribable, and unbearable.

The Star Road was no more.

As the tears ran down his face, the little star had a small thought in the back of his mind remind him that it was not the first time he had cried during his journey, and probably would not be the last. He was determined, and trying to be as strong as possible, but he couldn't shake the despair he felt inside. He quickly tried to suppress the horrible images in his head, and found that replacing those images and emotions with anger was the only way to stop the tears. He held on to that anger like a desperate man holding on to the edge of a cliff.

The two stars had now passed through the clouds, and the little star could just start to make out some of the landscape below. He had been to the Mushroom Kingdom once before, almost ten years ago. He could see Princess Peach's castle in the center of the Kingdom, great mountains that led to Bowser's castle to the north, the desert lands leading to Sarasaland in the east, the Great Ocean in the south that led to Yoshi's Island, and as he descended he could just make out the kingdom of Nimbus Land high up in the clouds far to the west. It had to be midday here now, and the little star allowed himself a small smirk as he admired the beauty of the luscious green fields, deep forests, majestic mountains, and the overall majesty that was the Mushroom Kingdom.

The little star had visited these lands once before, almost ten years ago. The situation had been dire then, and he had enlisted the help of Mario and his friends to help him recover the seven pieces of the Star Road so he could repair his homelands and resume his precious work of granting wishes. That was all the little star had wanted, was to go back to living his life in the world he cherished, and seeing the smiles on the faces of the people whose wishes were granted. It had been a long, arduous journey but the ending had been a happy one, and life had returned to normalcy.

"How much longer?" Twink shouted to the little star suddenly.

"Perhaps another ten minutes." The little star replied. "Do you see that small body of water to the south of that castle town there?"

The little star pointed to Princess Peach's castle, and Twink nodded.

"You mean Princess Peach's castle right? Yeah, I see it." Twink said.

"Well, if you look there's a small town to the west of it, that's Rose Town." The little star replied. "We need to land there first, I have something very important to do, then we make our way to the castle where we will meet Mario, and seek his help."

"Okay, sounds like a plan to me. Do you think he'll be able to help us?" Twink asked.

The little star looked Twink right in his eyes, and gave him a very serious look.

"I hope so, my friend." The little star said. "If Mario can't help us, I don't know if anyone can."

Twink frowned at that, but seemed to wear a look of determination. Twink was very brave, although not quite as good as the little star at masking his emotions. When he was presented with a task though, he was very dedicated to it and would work very hard to see it through. Twink had actually been the one responsible for their escape, and had led himself and the little star out of the Star Road. He had proved to be very clever at not being seen or heard by anyone.

The two stars continued to make their way toward the land below, and the little star watched as the landscape slowly became closer and closer to them. He reflected once again on the attack from the previous night, and again his anger flared. He wasn't completely positive, but he was almost certain he had known who was responsible for the Star Road's destruction.

"Smithy" He found himself saying angrily.

When the attack had come on the Star Temple, and the little star had heard that voice, he knew it had sounded familiar, but could not pinpoint exactly who it was. The more he thought on it however, the more certain he was that it had been Smithy. He had seen a few creatures that resembled some of Smithy's minions attack his home, only they looked… different. Much stronger than they had been when the little star had fought them. The baddies in Smithy's army had been literal weapons, made as knives, arrows, and spears that moved around and attacked like beasts, but were made of metal.

These new creatures however, had to be made of some other material, a stone or diamond of some sort perhaps. They had many of the same features, but were somewhat opaque in appearance, and seemed to be reinforced with sharp, metallic spikes on their bodies. They had red eyes, and possessed some magic that was much stronger than what Smithy's old armies could use. The little star had watched these horrible things use the dreadful magic on some of his people, killing them instantly.

If these new creatures were indeed some kind of reincarnation of Smithy's army, they would be very dangerous and motivated solely by hate. It was shocking to the little star to think that Smithy had actually survived the battle with Mario and was able to not just reforge his army, but make it stronger. Clearly, Smithy was now on the warpath, and the little star knew he needed to find Mario quickly. Now that the Star Road had fallen, it wouldn't take long for Smithy to attack the Mushroom Kingdom. The little star was certain of this, and as badly as he needed Mario's help, he owed him a great debt too, and he had to warn Mario about an impending attack before it was too late.

_I hope I can find him quickly _he thought. _Mario will know what to do, he always does. When we ventured together, he always…_

" !?, LOOK OUT!" He heard Twink shout just as a he felt a large body smash against the right side of him. The force of the blow knocked the Star Rod out of his hands, and the momentum sent him flying towards the earth at an uncontrollable speed. He felt immense pain as he tried to chase after the Star Rod, but found he had lost total control of his descent. He watched as the figure that had crashed into him crashed into Twink, sending him spiraling down towards the earth in a completely different direction. The creature-a Koopa of some kind he thought-was thrown from the device it was riding, and started to fall.

!?-the little star-watched helplessly as he fell faster and faster towards the hard ground below at an incredible speed. The last thought that came to him was of failure, knowing that he would now die, and all hope would be lost. He braced himself as he fell to the earth at full force.

All went black.

* * * * * * *

Racing through the skies high above the Mushroom Kingdom, Kamek clutched the handle of the broom he was riding with his claws. He wore a look of annoyance and scowled. He was aggravated.

_The arrogance of that plumber is second to none. _He thought. _I should have turned him into a worm, so I could have picked him up and felt him wriggling in my hands. Then he could have seen who would have ended who._

Kamek regretted not doing just that, but had exhausted every effort to keep the peace. King Bowser would have been very angry had he tried to pull anything with Mario. He had made plans, and Kamek had served the Koopa King long enough to know not to disrupt any of those plans, let alone disobey a direct order. Kamek knew he was Bowser's most trusted advisor, and that Bowser in some ways looked up to him, but Kamek also knew better than to do anything that would rebuke his authority.

_He's a good ruler. _He thought. _Some day this kingdom will be his, and I'll have the pleasure of watching Mario fall to his hand._

Kamek grinned at the thought of that, waving his magic want to cast a spell. The spell made is broom fly faster. He tightened his grip on the handle as he picked up speed.

King Bowser would be very pleased indeed with Kamek's success. Even Bowser knew that the truce was a long shot, but Kamek had been able to convince Mario that the Koopa's end of the bargain would be upheld for a time. He wasn't lying, but as soon as he had read the treaty that Bowser had given him for Mario to sign, Kamek had definitely had his doubts too. He knew that the fool plumber would stay true to his word, but would more than likely be even more on guard than normal, looking for a trap.

As Kamek flew through the skies, he started to think back on the visions he had the night before, and the omens that were whispered to him in his dreams. He had seen death, destruction, and chaos befall the Mushroom Kingdom, and while that had given him pleasure to a certain extent, he had also seen similar images surrounding the Koopa Troop, and he had seen Bowser's fortress destroyed. He watched as creatures he did not recognize tore apart the land, destroying everything in their paths. The voices had whispered to him chilling words, some that shook Kamek to his core.

That wasn't even the worst of it. He had told Bowser that he had seen him fall at the hand of some horrible shape-shifting monster. It wore a crown on its head, and laughed as it kicked the Koopa king's corpse into a pit of lava. He saw Mario, the Princess, and even himself fall in the chaos, and that had been what really troubled him the most. Kamek knew that if these visions were various potential eventualities of the future that Bowser would need to tread very lightly. Kamek would do his best to serve his king, and be extra vigilant.

When Bowser had presented him with his mission to speak with Mario about a treaty, Kamek had been a little hesitant about it, now that he had given it more thought however, he was convinced it was the safest bet at the moment. The princess and the Mushroom Kingdom could wait at least until these events started to really unfold, and Kamek had more time to gather information. He was convinced there were greater powers at work here, and he meant to find out who or what it was.

_The Star Road's destruction must be the first act in this play. _He thought._ It must be the catalyst in this situation. Soon, more incidents are bound to arise, and we can make our move._

Kamek looked back over his shoulder and adjusted his glasses. He could just see Princess Peach's castle in the distance behind him.

_Yes, sweet princess_. He thought. _Then we will make our move, and King Bowser will have all that he has always desired._

He smirked as he stared at the castle. While gazing into his crystal ball, he had witnessed a vision of Bowser's victory, just one of numerous outcomes he had foreseen. It had been glorious, and Kamek was going to do everything in his power to help make it a reality.

Kamek turned his head back to look in front of him, when suddenly he saw two small shining objects just ahead of him, descending from the clouds. He tilted his head to get a good look, and before he realized what was happening, they were right directly in front of him.

"ACK!" He shouted trying to halt his broom. He waved his magic wand, but before he could cast a spell to stop his flight, he smashed into the objects at full force. He was thrown from his broom, his magic wand flying out of his hands in the process. He watched helplessly as he started to fall to the earth.

"AAAAAAHHHHH!" He screamed as he fell, crashing through a tree on the way down. He smashed into its branches as he fell, knocking the wind out of him. He grunted as he hit each branch, feeling immense pain all over his body as they smacked his face, arms, legs, and one blow cracking his dark glasses. After what felt like hours of falling through the tree, he landed on his back with a loud thud, hitting the ground.

Kamek moaned as he lay on the soft grass, feeling immense pain all over his body. He tried to lift his legs to get up, but found that they were in too much pain to move. He must have broken them. He lifted his head up slightly, looking down at his body. His cloak had been torn in a number of places, stains of blood splattered all over, and he looked in horror as he saw his left leg twisted upwards in the wrong direction. It appeared to be severely broken.

The sight of his leg made Kamek scream in pain, almost as if seeing it made him realize how much agony he was actually in. He laid his head back on the ground, and shouted as he watched his magic wand fall towards his face. It cracked him right in his beak-like nose, and Kamek heard a crunch sound.

"AAAHH! YAAAAA!" He screamed. "MY NOSE!"

Kamek cupped his hands to his nose in agony, and could feel another sharp pain go up his left arm. He gritted his teeth, and as he pulled his hand away from his face, he could see blood staining his palm.

"Ugh… Why?" He said aloud. "What just happened? What did I hit?"

He groaned in agony as he reached for his magic wand. He grabbed it with his right arm, which appeared to be okay, and inspected it. Thankfully, despite the long fall, the wand appeared to be fine. He mumbled a spell under his breath, waving the wand, and instantly, magic dust fell upon him, healing his wounds. He felt a chill in his bones as the spell worked its magic, and he shivered. Kamek didn't like using his magic on himself, but in this case, he would make an exception.

Almost instantly most of the pain was gone, and his leg appeared to be back to normal. He sighed, and tried to stand up. As he stood, he could still feel some pain left in his leg, but he would be okay. He limped slightly as he tried walking, but everything else seemed to be alright. Kamek knew he wouldn't be one hundred percent, as the healing spell he had used was not very strong, but at least the worst of the pain was over.

_I need to learn a better healing spell. _He thought. _That will be the first thing I do when I get back to the castle._

Kamek looked around, and spotted a small stream a few yards away. He hobbled over to it, and gazed down at his reflection in the crystal clear water. His cloak and hat were a mess, large spots of blood splattered everywhere with tears all up and down them. There was a very large hole ripped in the cloak near where his left leg was, and he could see that the frames of his glasses were completely ruined. His face was covered in dry blood, but the bleeding itself appeared to have stopped. Kamek leaned down carefully and cupped some water into his hands, cleaning off his face.

He took a few minutes to clean some of the blood off of him, and tried to adjust his glasses with little success. After cleaning himself up a bit, he limped over to a large rock, and sat down, resting for a minute.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid. What did I just crash into? _He thought_. Some kind of small birds or something? I should have watched where I was going. _

Kamek slid down the rock onto the soft grass, and leaned back. He gazed up at the large tree in front of him that he had fallen through and scowled.

"Damned tree!" He said angrily. "Do you really need that many bloody branches?!"

As horrible as his fall had been though, Kamek found himself very grateful for that tree; it had undoubtedly saved his life. He sighed as he gazed upon it. It was a large oak, thick with leaves and had to be at least two hundred feet tall. As he stared at it, he saw something at the top shimmer brightly in the sunlight. Kamek squinted at the light and shook his head.

"Eh? What's this?" He said.

Kamek whistled, and a moment later, his broom was flying back to him from high in the sky above. He watched its descent, and just as it was about to reach him, he reached out his hand, grabbing the broom by its handle as it stopped directly in front of him.

"Good boy." He said to the broom, patting it. Kamek slowly sat on the broom, and waved his magic wand, he flew up to the top of the big tree, fixing his gaze on the shimmering light. He quickly reached the top of the tree, and found the source of the bright light. The object appeared to be similar to his magic wand, resting between two small branches at the very top. A bright star made up its head, and it appeared to twinkle in the bright sunlight. Its handle was a light blue color, etched with small stars shapes. He raised an eyebrow curiously as he reached for it, inspecting it in his hands.

"Curious. Now where did you come from?" Kamek said curiously. "I wonder…"

Kamek muttered another spell under his breath, but the strange wand did not react. He tried a dozen more before he finally gave up.

"I'll need to do some research on you. King Bowser should find this most interesting." He said.

Kamek tucked the wand into his sleeve, gripped his broom tightly, and took off into the sky, back to Bowser's castle.

On the eastern outskirts of the Mushroom Kingdom, traveling down a dirt road that ran alongside of a wide river, a lone Paratroopa floated along carelessly flapping its long, white wings. It was a simple creature, turtle-like with a green shell, matching green shoes, and light orange color skin. It had a large hooked beak of a nose, and big, dark eyes. The Paratroopa proceeded to scratch its nose with its small claws as it made its way down the road.

"King Bowser can bite it." The Paratroopa said to himself. "It's too nice of a day to be training. I'm just going to enjoy myself, and not worry about him or the stupid princess. It's not like he'll ever be able to capture her anyway. Not with Mario around."

The Paratroopa grinned, and started to whistle as it continued its leisurely stroll. It flapped its wings a little harder to get some more elevation, and turned its gaze upon the river.

"Time for a little water. It's getting quite hot, and I'm parched!" It said.

The Paratroopa flapped its wings even harder, and flew up high into the air. It then dove back down towards the river, and opened its beak as it reached the surface, catching a mouth full of the cool, fresh water, gulping it down. It then flew back up high all in one swoop. It laughed as it slowly floated back down toward the road.

"Ah, so refreshing!" It exclaimed happily.

The Paratroopa continued its trek for a while, and then stopped as it heard a sound.

"AAAAHH!"

The Paratroopa halted in its tracks, and looked around curiously trying to find the source of the sound.

_That's strange. _It thought. _That sounded like someone screaming…_

The Paratroopa looked up, and realized instantly that it was too late for it to run. A bright object was falling towards it at an incredibly fast speed, and before the Paratroopa could even react, it smashed into its head, knocking it out instantly.

_Get up… Get up… You must… Get up!_

Twink heard the words in his head, a soft familiar voice repeating them over and over.

_Get up! There is much work to be done! You must get up!_

He floated along through space, occupied by a million tiny pinpricks of light-the stars-and a vast, black void in every direction. He felt cold, and his body shivered as he floated along through the emptiness. It all felt so wrong, and as he floated along, a tiny thought in the back of his mind wondered if he was alive or dead. Was this the afterlife?

_Get up… Get up…_

Twink had traveled through space before, and was aware of how empty and vast it was. This was different though, it looked like space, but it didn't _feel _the same. He tried to move in the opposite direction that he was floating towards, up, down, he couldn't say. In space, there was no up or down, just an infinite void that stretched in every direction. He found that moving in any direction aside from the path he was floating was impossible. He struggled for a while, he couldn't say how long-there was no measurement of time in space either-and eventually gave up.

_Get up… Get up… Work… No time… _

Twink stopped resisting the urge to fight against the path he was taking, and continued onward. To where he couldn't say, but somehow he knew vaguely that he was going in the wrong direction. He couldn't shake this feeling of wrongness he felt, and franticly looked around, trying to find an escape.

_It's not.. real… real… Get up! You _must_ get up!_

Twink looked around him, towards a cluster of stars. Ah! Yes! He knew those stars. That was his home, the Star Road. He smiled as he gazed upon them. He fixated his attention towards them, and felt a sense of relief take over. This made him want to resist the pulling sensation he was feeling. He would somehow fight against this urge to move forward, and change his direction towards his home. He would…

Suddenly the small cluster of stars started to vanish, one by one.

Twink tried to scream, but found he could not open his mouth. He couldn't move any part of his body. He started to panic.

_Resist… Break through! Get up! Get up! Open your eyes!_

Twink struggled with every ounce of strength he had to move, to no avail. He watched helplessly as his home disappeared, and started to sense an overwhelming felling of despair take over him. He continued to resist, until finally, he could see an even darker void in front of him. Twink had never seen darkness like that before, it was just utter nothingness, the blackest hole he'd ever seen. Twink wanted to move, to run, scream, anything that would allow him to resist even a little bit. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

_Open…. Eyes…. Get… Up! GET UP!_

Twink wasn't just terrified, he felt the very manifestation of fear itself. He held in his breath for a few seconds that felt like an eternity, and finally let it out in a scream. He heard could hear the sound of his voice as he felt the dark void start to envelope him. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he screamed louder, and finally opened his eyes.

Twink jumped up screaming as a bright light suddenly filled his vision. He staggered, falling backward as the shock of the light threatened to blind him. He rubbed his eyes, and as he slowly moved his hands away, he could feel the moisture of sweat filling his palm. He laid there for a few minutes as his eyes slowly adjusted to the light, and he could just start to make out a few randomly placed puffy white clouds in a bright, blue sky. A glowing yellow sun was looming high above him, and he quickly shifted his gaze away from the strong rays that threatened to blind him.

Twink took in a deep breath, and exhaled, trying to calm himself down. He could feel the sweat dripping down his face, his heart pumping ,and his breathing laborious as he took in another breath, letting out a long sigh.

_Just a dream. _He thought. _It felt so real though. Is that what it's like to die?_

Twink shuddered at that thought, and slowly, carefully started to get up. He felt strange, like he had grown taller or something, and that was when he gazed down at his body. He jumped as he saw that he clearly had changed, and that he was not in his own body at all. He wore green shoes, this skin of his legs were a scaly, orange color as well as his arms. He stretched out his hands to find that they were sharp claws, and he felt at his torso, which appeared to be covered by some kind of thick protective armor.

"Wh… What am I?!" He exclaimed.

Twink quickly looked turned his head, trying to really take in his surroundings. He saw large, beautiful trees, their branches thick with leaves, and he soon realized he was on a dirt road of some kind, a long, serpentine river stretching out to the right of him for miles. He saw a few brick blocks floating in the air, and way out to the east, he could see that the landscape started to change from luscious greenery thick with trees, to a more barren desert. He could make out tall ridges of sand on the horizon.

"The river!" He exclaimed.

Twink quickly turned around, and started to run towards the river. He stumbled as he ran, not yet used to these new legs he had acquired. He caught himself just before he managed to trip on a small stone, and soon reached the river's edge. He hesitated briefly before gazing into the crystal clear water. He watched his large eyes grow wide as he looked upon his reflection.

Big, dark eyes gazed back at him atop a large head. His face was that same light orange tone that his legs and arms were, and he saw that his mouth and nose were hooked, like a large birdlike beak. He wore a green turtle shell that had two large, white wings protruding from two small holes on the back of it, and the underbelly of the shell was a bright, yellow coloration. He gasped as he realized what he had become.

_I'm a Paratroopa! _He thought. _How in the stars did this happen?!_

Twink stared into the clear water for quite a long time, as he tried to take in the image before him. He had seen Paratroopas before; it had been a while, but he remembered that they had been loyal followers of Bowser, and in general were pretty aggressive creatures. Sure, some were okay, like that fellow Parakarry who had traveled with Mario when Bowser had stolen the Star Rod. He had been nice enough, but Twink had seen plenty of Paratroopas that looked just like he did now who were vicious, hateful creatures.

"Great, now what am I going to do?" He asked himself aloud. "Mario will think I'm trying to attack him if I try to approach him."

As the words left his lips, Twink realized for the first time that his voice had changed too. It was more of a raspy sound, and deeper. Twink frowned and shook his head. He thought despairingly about his situation. He had no idea how to leave the creature's body, he had never possessed another form, although !? Had told him he would show him how to do it, he never explained how to exit the body.

_What if I'm stuck in this creature's body forever? _He thought. _Even if I can find !?, he probably won't recognize me. If he's alive, that is._

Twink quickly dismissed that line of thinking, and tried to think positively. He would make the best of this. The Star Road was in trouble, and Twink had to pull it together if he was going to save his home. He looked once again into the water, and smiled.

"These wings at least will come in handy." He said.

Twink tried flapping his wings, and found that they were very efficient. Within a matter of seconds, he was at least ten feet in the air. He tried flying similarly to how he would normally float around in his own body, and found that this creature's body was surprisingly aerodynamic. He flew high above the river, and then did a quick dive. Right as he was about to hit the water, he flapped the wings more rapidly, and was quickly ascending high into the sky again. Twink could feel the breeze on his face and laughed.

"Yes, I suppose this new form will do quite nicely!" He said happily. "It's not quite right though, It needs… something…"

Twink concentrated, and under his breath muttered a spell. Inside the body, he felt the inner glow of his star body emanate light. He focused that energy on his shell, and released it. He smiled as he looked over his shoulder. The once plain, green turtle shell was now a bright rainbow of colors, shifting randomly through the entire color spectrum. It gave off the same glow that the streets of the Star Road had.

_At least now maybe !? will recognize that coloring, and listen to me before assuming I'm a threat. Maybe it'll catch Mario off guard too, and I can explain who I am before there's any trouble._ He thought.

Twink smiled as he flew through the air. He soared high above the river, and was careful to watch in all directions. He didn't need to crash into something else like that strange figure had before. He followed the river, which started to veer off to the south, when he noticed something odd floating in the water. It was small and white, but from this distance, he couldn't quite make out what it was.

"Curious." He said. "What's this?"

Twink quickly dove back down towards the river. He started to slow down as he approached, smiling to himself as he realized how quickly he was adapting to this new body. It would take a little getting used to, but he was already quite good at flying.

As Twink reached the object floating in the river, he cocked his head sideways as he realized what it was that he was looking at. It appeared to be a person of some sort, only it looked like a cloud. It had puffy white skin, long arms, pink, curly hair on its head, and wore large blue and white striped pants. Twink quickly noticed that it appeared to be breathing. He hovered over the creature, and tried to nudge it awake.

"Hey, you! Are you okay?" Twink shouted.

He tried for a minute, following the creature as it floated along the river. Fortunately it had been floating on its back, otherwise it would have surely drowned by now. After several minutes of trying to wake it up, he grabbed the creature by the golden belt buckle it wore, and vigorously flapped his wings. Thankfully, the cloud creature was very light, and in less than a minute, Twink had managed to get him to the shore. He laid it down under a big tree, as his feet hit the ground. Twink pressed his head against the creature's chest, and heard a faint heartbeat. The creature was alive, but appeared to be in pretty bad shape.

"Well, this has been some day." Twink said as he frowned.

First he fell out of the sky nearly to his death, then the dream, then he turned into a Koopa, and now he was going to have to hope he could find help quickly for this poor cloud creature, otherwise it would die. Today was just not going well by any means.

_I hope I can find Mario quickly. _He thought.

"I hope you're okay, !?" He said aloud.

Twink quickly flew east, following the dirt road in search of help.

!? slowly opened his eyes as he regained consciousness, feeling a soft breeze gently touching his face. As his vision returned to him, he looked upon a clear, night sky filled with stars. He took a deep breath as he took it in the scene before him, letting it out with a sigh.

_Where am I? _He thought. _How long have I been out for?_

He shifted himself to his right, laying on his side, feeling pain all up and down his body. It wasn't agonizing, but it felt like he had been in a good fight, and he was certain he was covered head to toe in bruises. He rested there for a few moments, not wanting to strain himself too much. As he lay there, he felt hay prickling at his sides, but it did not bother him. He felt relief at the realization that the pile of hay he was laying on had broken his long fall, undoubtedly saving his life.

As he rested, thoughts kept creeping into his mind. He thought of his home, the Star Road, and of Twink. He hoped Twink was okay, he had fallen the same distance as !? had, but may not have been as fortunate as he had been, having a soft surface to land upon. He thought of the Star Rod, the only real hope he had left to save his home. Despairingly, he sighed as the realization hit him that all may be lost.

_I have failed. _He thought. _I've lost the Star Rod, Twink may be dead, and the Star Road is no more. All is lost._

The pain of it all made !? want to weep, but he soon found himself getting angry. Angry at himself for his failure, at the creature that had crashed into him, causing him to lose the Star Rod and his friend, but mostly at Smithy. Smithy had tried to destroy his home once before, and was now succeeding at it once again. He had killed many of his people, destroyed his lands, and was now probably reveling in his success. He imagined Smithy sitting upon a throne made of steel, laughing as his people and those of the Mushroom Kingdom were tortured, in chains, or were made slaves. In his hands, clutching the Star Rod, having ultimate power.

"NO!" He shouted angrily.

!? jumped to his feet, and he no longer felt pain. All was not lost. Even if the Star Road was gone forever, if Twink was dead, if the very fate of the universe was hanging in the balance, he would stop at nothing to do one thing.

He would destroy Smithy.

Smithy would pay for what he had done, and he would certainly not allow him to take revenge upon the people of the Mushroom Kingdom. He would do everything in his power to stop that, and he would repay the debt he owed to Mario. He felt no fear, and dismissed all thoughts of despair and helplessness. He was alive, and he would persevere.

_There's one thing I need to do first. _He thought.

!? quickly looked around, trying to familiarize himself with his surroundings. He had traveled through much of this land with Mario, and searched for some kind of landmark to determine where he was. He was in a small, wooden cart, filled with hay that sat in a small field. He squinted his eyes in the darkness as he gazed upon a house. It was maybe one hundred yards away. It looked… familiar.

!? hopped out of the cart, and quickly floated towards the house. The light was off, but as he approached, he could see a large beanstalk rising out of the chimney on the roof of the small, wooden house. He realized suddenly where he was, and smiled.

"I'm back." He said aloud. "Thank the stars, I've landed just where I needed to be!"

From this point, !? knew exactly where to go. He made his way south, following along a small, dirt road leading into a quiet, sleeping town. This was the first place he had ever visited when he had originally come to these lands, almost ten years ago. As he entered the town, he fixated his gaze to a large building at the entrance of the far side of town. This building was also made of wood, had a large, red roof, two chimneys, and was the biggest building in the small town, an inn. He quickly made his way towards the inn, floating through the air at a quickened pace. He soon reached a small window on the second floor, and looked inside.

It was a simple, small room he looked into. He saw an oak dresser in the corner of the room, a desk and wooden chair on the opposite side, a night stand, and a feather bed. A Toad was sound asleep in the bed, and !? stared at him, smiling. A mushroom head with a magenta colored spiral design peaked out of the blankets, asleep. He watched the movement of the blanket as the Toad breathed the slow rhythm of deep sleep. It had been a long time since he'd seen Gaz, and !? smiled wider at the sight of him. He appeared to have grown much bigger, almost an adult perhaps the age of sixteen if !? was correct.

!? Slowly opened the window, and quietly floated into the room. He watched Gaz sleep peacefully, as he made his way to the dresser in the corner of the room. Sitting atop the dresser, appearing to overlook the sleeping Gaz, he found it.

It was the doll.

The small doll was a simple figure, made mostly of wood, with a few strands of curly, orange hair peaking out from a deep blue colored hat. The hat had an odd, yellow design on the front of it that !? had never really understood. Two small ovals imprinted in the center of the hat stretched to the base. The only other clothing the doll wore was a cape that was the same deep colored blue as the hat on the outside, and a bright yellow on the inside. It was pinned together with a yellow loop, and the cape ran down all the way to the small, brown boots on the doll's feet. !? looked into the doll's deep, red eyes and nodded.

"Looks like it's time to play "Geno" again." He whispered softly.

!? Floated above the dolls head, and whispered a spell under his breath. A bright light appeared beneath him, completely enveloping the doll. !? Started to slowly circle the doll, gradually picking up the pace. He continued whispering the spell as he moved faster and faster, descending on the doll. He gasped as he entered the body of the doll, the light now growing stronger and stronger. He was the doll, and the doll was him. He felt his body, the doll's body grow to a much larger size. He closed his eyes as the light became as bright as the sun. He was the light, and the light was him.

After a few moments, !? opened his eyes; only he was no longer !?, he was Geno.

Geno sat atop the dresser for a few moments, looking down at his wooden hands. He gripped his fingers into fists, and smirked. He stood up, and felt pain as his head hit the ceiling. Not anticipating this, he lost balance, and soon crashed to the floor with a loud thud.

_That was stupid. _He thought. _I forgot how much taller I am now. I must be more careful._

Geno slowly pulled himself to his feet, and took a few steps. He was a bit wobbly, but was already starting to feel more comfortable in his new form. As he made his way to the door, he heard a soft voice whisper behind him.

"Geno?" Gaz said sleepily.

He turned his head and smiled as he watched Gaz get up out of bed. He had indeed grown a lot taller than when he had last seen him. He was shorter than Geno, but was now closer in size to a full grown adult Toad. He wore a green vest, and his facial features had become much more pronounced then when he was a child. Gaz stared at him, and Geno saw him smile.

"Geno! It _is _you!" Gaz exclaimed happily. He ran over and embraced Geno in a hug, laughing cheerfully.

"I knew you'd come back some day!" Gaz said. "So much has happened since you left. I… I kept you, uh, I mean the doll on my dresser, wishing every night to the stars that you would return to visit, and now here you are! My wish came true!"

Gaz let go of Geno, and paused to take a good look at him. Perhaps seeing the expression on his face, Gaz frowned.

"You know, my mom never believed that you really came to life that night." Gaz said. "She would always say, "It's your imagination, dear" or "Mario had his friend wear a costume" or something like that. I always knew you were real though."

Geno nodded in response, taking a step towards him.

"It's good to see you, Gaz." He said. "You've grown into quite a fine young man, but I'm afraid I didn't come here for a visit."

Gaz frowned again, but gave him a serious look.

"It's the Star Road again, isn't it?" Gaz asked.

"Yes, I'm afraid. The situation is even more dire than what occurred the last time." He said solemnly.

Gaz jumped at that, but quickly tried to mask his shock.

"Oh no! Are the star pieces missing again?" He said.

Geno shook his head and sighed. He turned away, walking towards the door trying to hide his anger. After a minute, he gazed back to where Gaz was standing, looking him straight in the eyes.

"It's been completely destroyed this time." Geno said with a serious tone. "I'm afraid all may be lost, but I know who's responsible, and I will not allow them to get away with it."

Gaz stood there, frozen in place, and Geno thought he could see a look of despair in the poor kid's eyes. Gaz nodded in response, and soon his despair was replaced with a look of determination.

"All can't be lost, Geno." Gaz said determinedly. "I have too many hopes and dreams for me to believe that. Whatever the problem is, I know you will be able to fix it."

Geno couldn't help but smile at that, the boy really was growing up.

"I need to find Mario, Gaz." Geno responded. "Any idea where he might be?"

Gaz shook his head.

"Sorry Geno, but he hasn't been in Rose Town since your adventure with him. I'd imagine he must be at Princess Peach's castle, in the Mushroom Kingdom." Gaz said.

"I must go quickly then. I'm afraid if I don't find Mario soon, it may be too late for this planet as well." Geno said. "Smithy destroyed the Star Road, and now I'm almost certain he will come here to exact his revenge on Mario."

"You must go quickly then, Geno!" Gaz exclaimed. "Just wait here for one second, I have something for you."

Gaz quickly walked to the small night stand by his bed, opening the bottom drawer. He shuffled though it, pulling out a small object that Geno couldn't quite make out. Gaz quickly made his way back to Geno, and smiled.

From behind his back, Gaz produced two small, wooden attachments for the doll. The device had small, metal barrels like a gun that shot out from the base of it. Geno knew what this was, and had used it before.

"My shooting star shot!" Geno exclaimed, taking the parts from Gaz. "This will definitely come in handy Gaz, thank you.

"You're welcome, Geno." Gaz said, smiling back at him. "Now, go! I have many hopes and dreams Geno, this can't be the end!"

Geno nodded to Gaz as he walked out of the doorway of his room. He quietly made his way down the stairs of the inn, sneaking out the front door. As he quickly exited Rose Town, he took one last glance at the inn, and headed east, towards the Mushroom Kingdom.


End file.
